Rain without Rainbows
by Leoshi
Summary: FiM "Make a wish." Rainbow Dash is granted an opportunity which seems false. But does that mean the wish was imagined? And whose wish is actually granted? "You cannot hope to beat me, dear Princess. Your Harmony lies broken!" Collab, slight AU.
1. The Wishmaster

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>Revised: 9.25.2011

A collaboration story between two reluctant bronies!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer! Do you _honestly_ think I would _ever_ claim ownership over PONIES? _DO YOU?_ Well, I don't blame you – look at how much money they've made Hasbro. Regardless, I don't own ponies – of _any_ kind. So go sue someone else.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm now courageous enough to admit an earth-shattering fact – I like ponies. Specifically, Hasbro's latest rendition in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. (A thousand curses upon csd of punk-o-matic for getting me hooked on them! [Just kidding, csd! Bronies forever!]) This story takes place after the events of season one, is going to be my next adventure/drama tale, and I expect at _least_twelve chapters. I've got my work cut out for me now!

A/N 7.7.11: Made a few minor changes to preserve detail integrity, and to alter punctuation.

A/N 9.25.11: Revision note: Updated various parts and removed all info about fanart inclusion.

**Chapter one:** The Wishmaster

Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what she was angrier at – the fact that an up-and-coming pony band had come to town and roused her out of her third afternoon nap, or the fact that none of her friends had deigned to tell her. Or perhaps it was the sudden headache she was suffering due to her uncomfortable sleep. It was anypony's guess why (and indeed _how_) she dozed off on tree limbs.

Regardless, the blue-coated pegasus couldn't quell her rising excitement. Despite her headache, or her unwanted waking, or her friends' silence, the fact remained that a rising band had arrived to entertain her home. It was early evening, with the sun beginning to set – the sky was clear and glowing brilliantly in a fire of red and orange. In almost no time at all, a large stage had been set up in Ponyville's center, and a larger crowd was gathering as the final preparations were finished.

Rainbow yawned and stretched, then went slack on the tree limb she still rested on. Her headache pounded at her temples, screaming at her to go back to sleep. She shook her head, and immediately wish she hadn't.

"Ow…" she murmured as her headache flared, bringing a hoof to her temple in protest. After a moment of rubbing, she relaxed, allowed herself a grin…then dropped off the limb.

She felt her mane whip past her in freefall, and she savored the brief moment before spreading her wings. At a perilous four feet from the unforgiving ground, she caught herself, and shot upwards toward the sky.

Not once did her smile waver. This is what she lived for – the speed, the vertigo, the crisp air above the ground. She continued to flap her wings, gaining height, until at last she could see the entire border of Ponyville. She turned her head to gaze at the horizon. There, beyond the forest and meadow, rested the capitol. Canterlot seemed even more serene against the enflamed sky and the cool breeze. Ivory towers and golden rooftops, nestled among mountains.

Rainbow turned her head back, comparing the sight of Canterlot against her view of Ponyville. Sure, Canterlot may hold the highest names in business, social gatherings, and indeed royalty, and one day she may want to go live there. However, the grand city couldn't compare to her tiny town in any way, thanks to one simple fact: her friends were here, and as long as they stayed, so would she.

She breathed the warm air deeply. As the feeling of fullness enveloped her, she felt perfectly content in her element. Just her and the sky, with the world below.

The moment was soon broken by a sudden blast of feedback from the town square. Apparently, one of the band members had dropped his instrument, sending a wave of harsh sound across the town. Rainbow Dash winced, opening one eye to gaze at the scene. From such a height, the ponies below her resembled nothing more than colors and lines.

She shook her head – slowly this time, to avoid upsetting her headache. "Ah well, might as well see what these guys have to offer!" She flapped her wings, drew her hind legs behind her, and soared toward the town square.

* * *

><p>As Rainbow Dash landed on the edge of the town square, it looked as though the entire town had arrived to attend the sudden concert. Eager to see the band, she strained her neck above the ponies ahead of her before she finally gave in to frustration and decided to hover above them. She narrowed her eyes as she focused on the stage.<p>

From her distance, she was able to see that there were six members in the band, all of them too far away to really make out any detail. She pumped her wings again, moving forward foot by foot.

One was a brilliant white unicorn, the white of a pearl, but he had his back turned to the crowd. Another was a pegasus, grey, with a fireball on his flank – but like the one before him, his back was turned. In fact, the only member of the band who was paying any attention to the massing herd was a blue colt with an orange mane, looking at all the world like he was the center of the universe. Rainbow almost gagged – if he wanted attention, she could think of a dozen better ways to get it.

Finding a space in the herd of ponies, Rainbow touched down and folded in her wings. She looked around – good, this spot was barely fifty yards from the stage front. A perfect place to see how this band fared.

Somepony was suddenly at Rainbow's left, and no sooner had the newcomer arrived than she began to release a torrent of words. "Hey, Rainbow Dash! What are you doing here? Is it the band? It's the band, isn't it? Have you heard of them? Because I haven't heard of them. I think they're totally new! I wonder what kind of music they play, don't you? Maybe it's something classical…ooh, maybe something with lots of drums! Boom!"

Rainbow slowly angled her head toward the speaker, not at all surprised to see Pinkie Pie practically _buzzing_ with excitement. But then, she was always excited about _something_.

"Umm, Pinkie…I really doubt they would play anything classical," Rainbow replied, smiling at her friend's bouncing pink mess of a mane.

Shocked, the pink earth pony stopped. "Well, why wouldn't they play it?"

"Because they have guitars and a drum set. They're a rock band, most likely."

Pinkie whipped her gaze toward the band, apparently noticing their equipment for the first time. She gasped. "Oh yeah!"

Rainbow smirked at her friend once more, about to ask if Pinkie even knew what rock music was, when a sudden wave of sound washed over the herd. She shot her gaze forward (again causing her headache to flare) and spotted the source of the noise.

One of the unicorns on the stage – the pearl-white one – had begun to play. His horn was enveloped in rippling magic, as was his guitar. Proving his talent, his eyes were closed as he mentally plucked at the thick strings. The speakers on either side of the stage burst forth waves of deep, vibrating sound in response. As the attention turned on him, everypony noticed something: he had a pair of wings folded across his back. He wasn't a unicorn; he was an alicorn.

There was a resounding "Ooooh" from the herd, followed by excited cheers. Pinkie couldn't help but state the obvious: "He's using magic to play! That's amazing!"

Rainbow wasn't listening. The sounds of the bass guitar had piqued her interest. They were strong and smooth, flowing from one note to the next without effort. As the song began, the bassist's magic intensified, coaxing out even stronger chords.

Slowly, the other guitarist colts joined in. The grey pegasus entered with firm rhythm sounds, followed by the lead guitarist, a colt Rainbow hadn't noticed before. This lead player seemed like a normal colt among a band of eccentrics, being pale blue with a rich orange mane. Rainbow thought he looked like a modest version of the dark blue colt from earlier.

As the music kicked up, cheers from the herd rose up to clash with the song. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile and bob her head in time with the music. It didn't matter if she hadn't heard of this band before; they obviously had talent.

Eventually, the song ended, only for the next one to begin shortly after. During the entire concert, Dash couldn't help but admire the bassist alicorn. Perhaps it was his magic, or the way the sounds of the bass seemed perfect. As the concert moved forward into the night, his use of magic only grew more intense, suiting for the final song in their program. Yet, the entire time, his bass remained strong and smooth.

After a couple of hours that felt like a few fleeting minutes, the concert drew to a close. Feeling satisfied despite her still-nagging headache, Dash gazed at the sky. She blinked. _'It's so dark out already? There's a light rain scheduled for tomorrow evening...'_

Perhaps most surprising of all, Pinkie had managed to stay silent and still during the show. As the band thanked the crowd among jubilant cheers and applause, she finally spoke up. "Hey, wait, is that all? No streamers? No balloons? This isn't a party at all!"

Rainbow smiled inwardly, spreading her wings. "Pinkie, it's not a party, it's a concert!" she called, lifting off the ground. She rose above the crowd, as did several other pegasus ponies, hoping to get one last good look at the band. The six of them stood tall, exhausted but happy, and accepted their well-earned praise as a curtain swept in front of them.

As Rainbow Dash saw the curtain ripple, the sound of Pinkie's voice rose up distinctly from the herd. "That's not a streamer, you big sillies!"

* * *

><p>Eventually, the herd dispersed, each pony having their own tasks to attend to the following morning. Rainbow, now fully awake and buzzed by the music from earlier, decided to walk around the town square and enjoy the bustling night. Pinkie Pie was apparently let down by the lack of balloons, candy, dancing, and general colors, and so left for her home.<p>

As Rainbow rounded the corner of the town hall, she caught a familiar silhouette among the departing ponies and colts. Oddly enough, nopony else seemed to notice the retreating shadow. As the silhouette walked toward the dark stage's back side, she followed.

As she followed the retreating figure, she felt all the more certain in whom she was seeing. _'Is that…the princess? What is she doing here?'_

In no time, the figure had retreated behind the stage, which was totally obscuring what little light was around. Driven by curiosity, Rainbow trotted faster, calling out toward the silhouette. "Princess! Princess Luna!" She rounded the corner behind the stage, blinking to accelerate her night vision. Sure enough, the shadow was there, turning around.

Rainbow stopped in her tracks. As the pony before her turned, the horn began to glow, rapidly spreading light around them. The glow intensified at blinding speed – Rainbow had to shut her eyes against the sudden brightness. She turned her head away, grimacing; the intrusive light had upset her headache.

After a moment, Rainbow's eyes adjusted well enough that she could open them a crack. She slowly turned her head upward, looking at the unicorn/pegasus hybrid before her – and gasped.

"Oh! You're not…who are you?" she demanded.

The figure she had assumed was Princess Luna was, in fact, a colt. A colt who was gifted with both wings and a horn, just like the two regal sisters themselves and the bassist from the band. His horn gave off a soft light, steady now after flaring up so. Through that light, Rainbow noted his build – a healthy coat of charcoal against a pale white mane, with red eyes sharp enough to cut glass.

His horn's light flared again, though barely. He grinned warmly. "Well, well…" he began. "This is a surprise. What would persuade miss Rainbow Dash to visit me at this hour?"

Rainbow blinked. He knew her name? He wasn't anypony she recognized, so how could he know of her? Perhaps her fame was travelling faster and farther than she had thought.

At this notion, she couldn't hold back a swell of pride. She returned his grin. "Ya heard of me, huh?"

"Oh, yes." His horn flared again, which also caused her headache to pound at her temples. "You aren't surprised, are you? After all, you won Best Young Flier not too long ago. _And_ you saved the lives of the Wonderbolts in the process. Where I'm from, you're considered a hero."

Rainbow couldn't suppress a mild blush. "Heheh…'hero?' I like the sound of that."

The dark-coated colt's horn continued flaring, each new wave of light causing a spike of pain from Dash's headache. She instinctively lowered her eyes, trying to force back the pain by rubbing her temple.

"Tell me, young one, have you been training well?"

Rainbow Dash raised her gaze again. This wasn't a question she was expecting. "Training? For what?"

"Training with the Wonderbolts, of course," the colt explained, cocking one eyebrow. "Surely they've accepted you into their fold after the competition?"

"Oh. That." The young mare let out a sigh, unable to hide her disappointment. "Well…no. Since the grand prize was just a day of flying with them, I don't think they ever really considered me as a candidate. The last I heard from them was at the Gala last month." A sad half-chuckle escaped her lips as she recalled the event of what was _supposed_ to be her best night ever.

The dark-coated one before her tilted his head, his grin wavering. "Baffling," he muttered. "What else could they want from you? Surely you've shown them enough talent…?"

Rainbow flicked her eyes upward, locking them with his stare. "Yeah, well…" She sighed, raising her head to look him square in the eye. "Listen, wait a moment." She stepped forward, a sudden suspicion bubbling beneath her risen pride. "Just who are you, anyway, and how _do_ you know so much about me?"

The alicorn before her blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly. "Of course…how rude of me." He bowed low, spreading the light of his horn across the road beneath them. "I am…Alucard, a colt of no real significance. I'm not from this area – if I told you where, you'd never believe me – but word of your deeds has travelled far."

'_Alucard?'_ she thought, her paranoia ebbing. _'He seems nice enough.'_

"Don't you find it a bit strange, though?" Alucard pressed on, determined to make his point. He raised his head again, the light of his horn increasing as he did so.

"What's strange?"

"Your idols, the Wonderbolts. The flight team you've been trying to get in to for most of your young life. Why have they not offered you a spot on their roster?"

Rainbow blinked. _'Why is he so concerned with me and the Wonderbolts? I mean, yeah, I'd love to be a part of their team, but there's no_ _way I'd just _ask_ them after what happened at the Gala. Still, at least this Alucard doesn't know about that.'_

Alucard's horn flared once again, and he continued. "Could it be because of what happened to you and your friends at the Grand Gala?"

'_Oh, horseapples.'_ "You…how do you…"

"Nevermind how I know, my dear," he cut in, lowering the light of his horn. "What's important is why they're not _seeking_ you out...haven't you shown them enough talent?"

Her mouth pulling into a tight frown, Rainbow replied. "Well, I suppose not. Maybe I made Spitfire mad at the Gala, or maybe I accidentally insulted someone, or maybe they don't like my style. I don't know what's keeping me back."

She had lowered her eyes, averting her gaze from the glowing horn that continued to upset her headache. She didn't see him adopt a small grin, or see his eyes spark with an idea, or see him take a step forward. As he closed the distance between them, he whispered.

"If you'll allow me, I can give you the skill you'll need to win the approval of your idols."

"What?" she gasped, not expected to hear anything of the sort. "You can give…what? How?"

Alucard chuckled, fixing his gaze upon the mare's eyes. His stare seemed to bore into her skull. "My dear, it'll be easy. If you'll allow me, my magic can improve your already-impressive skill…and your ascent into the Wonderbolts will be as easy as spreading your wings."

Rainbow's mind raced as fast as she could fly. _'Oh my gosh, he can make me fly even better? By using magic? Just what kind of magic is it? Does it even matter? Twilight's magic gave Rarity wings of her own, so I know this kind of magic exists. What are the chances of this happening – maybe this is a trap? Well, just what _are_ the chances? This could be MY big chance! But this seems too good to be true. Magic is _always_ too good to be true! What will happen to me? Does it matter?'_

Eventually, after she swallowed to clear the dry lump in her throat, she managed to wheeze out "Why?"

"Let's just say I have a promise to keep to an old friend of mine," Alucard replied smoothly. "Regardless, I think we _both_ can benefit from this little magic trick of mine. I assure you, once I'm done, you'll fly up the ranks of the Wonderbolts with ease…quite literally."

Despite the nagging suspicion Rainbow Dash felt, she could not quell her rising excitement. Finally, after a moment spent trying to calm her pounding heart, she nodded. "If you can do that, then…what are we waiting for?" she said, finally letting loose the hopeful smile she had been withholding.

At the same time, Alucard also allowed himself a smile, though Rainbow couldn't see it for want of extra, natural light. In fact, unnoticed by her, a mass of dark clouds had moved in overhead. Thunder rolled in the far distance, better felt than heard.

There weren't supposed to be any rainclouds for another day.

"What should I do?" the mare asked eagerly.

The dark colt's grin grew wider. "Make a wish."

Without hesitation, Rainbow shut her eyes against the light of his horn, still smirking in anticipation. She could still see an ambient glow through her eyelids, a warm spot against her skin. The warm color flashed occasionally as lightning strikes moved into the area, driven by some unseen force; it was as if they were drawn above them.

Alucard's magic spread from his horn to the pegasus' body, taking the form of dark grey-and-blue waves. In no time, the waves totally obscured her body, forming a loose sac – not touching her, but surrounding her nonetheless. The feeling of it being so close to her, yet not touching her, gave Rainbow a mild sense of discomfort.

His horn glowing brighter, Alucard poured more power into his spell. The waves of blue turned darker and contorted with the grey, giving the entire spell an electric black look. The sac of magic closed inward, grazing Rainbow's body with a gentleness that was unbecoming of its appearance. The magic sped past her ears, similar to when she dived through the air at breakneck speeds.

The dark clouds drew closer, their bellies heavy with imminent rain. Lightning flashed overhead, shortly followed by intrusive thunder. The magic finally totally grasped Rainbow, flowing across her as though she were flying through moist air. It was a feeling she was familiar with, but the lack of effort left her wanting. It wasn't natural to get this feeling without having to work for it.

"Whoa…this feels weird," she commented. Her own echoes answered her, completely trapped by the sac of magic.

Suddenly, as though broken by the sound of her voice, the spell began to dissipate. Temporal winds buffeted her body, as though she were falling uncontrollably through the air. Strands of the spell broke off and seemed to _crawl_ on her coat, parasites of power. They moved along her body, cold, yet electric; as the seconds crawled by, more and more continued to make contact.

Eventually, Rainbow's discomfort grew too much. "Alucard?" she asked, still receiving a broken echo.

As before, the break in her silence seemed to fracture the spell. Two gusts of temporal wind struck her; one from the front, and the other from her left. The strands that dug into her coat grew more determined, causing pain to lance through her skin. By instinct, Rainbow tried to lift her hoof to scratch at the irritation – only to find that she couldn't move her limbs.

Panic began to eat at her senses. Her eyes flew open, and she had Alucard's name in her throat, ready to shout…but he wasn't there. Where he had been standing only minutes ago, now only empty space was seen.

She was alone, held in place by a spell that had turned hostile. The more she struggled against the bonds, the tighter they held and deeper they dug. The winds grew even stronger, now focused entirely on her face. She blinked back stinging tears as the wind irritated her eyes.

"What the heck?" she cried, forcing her gaze up toward the sky above her.

Only to see a bolt of black lightning arcing directly toward her.

Rainbow Dash screamed.

* * *

><p>Instead of feeling an intense electrocution, Rainbow was hit with a blunt force that shook her from neck to rump. The sudden force jolted her in a much different way, violently bringing her out of her slumber. Her eyes flew open, still horrified at the incoming lightning that never existed. She took short, shallow breaths, slowly coming to terms.<p>

'…_dream…'_

She blinked away her fears, gathering her bearings. She was in her cloud home, and it was midday. Warm sunlight flooded her room, and a few passing birds flew past a high window – which was really just a hole she had kicked out of the wall. However, this high window seemed low, almost as though the room had been flipped. But it wasn't the room. _She_ had fallen out of her bed, and was upside-down.

Rainbow righted herself. She sat for a moment, calming her flaring nerves. The only thing about the dream that had been real was her headache, and still it pounded away like an eager newborn demanding attention. After a moment, Rainbow began to spurt broken, half-hearted laughs.

"Heh…heheh…it was all just a dream, then…? Hahah…well…I guess now's as good a time to wake up as any."

She shook her head to chase away her lingering fatigue, and immediately wished she hadn't. "Augh…" she groaned. This headache had to be taken care of, and the sooner the better. She rose to stand, shaken from the dream that had felt so real, and trotted out to go about her morning tasks, despite it not being morning.

As she prepared herself for the rest of the day, she accepted the dream for what it was – a dream. She berated herself for being so scared of it. Dreams couldn't hurt her, so why should she let herself be so affected by one measly nightmare? After all, she was Rainbow Dash! Nothing scared her!

She forced herself to laugh.

**End chapter one**

Author's comments: I'm having fun with this one. I never thought there'd be a day when I'd like ponies, but I can't deny it. I'm a brony, and I only mildly regret it! But alas, here's hoping I didn't lose any of you with what I wrote here.

I can't give enough thanks to my internet brother, Cyros Lugoth, who has helped me with this story every step of the way. We're on the path now, Cyros, so let's keep forging forward!

Edit note: Due to pre-reader feedback, I've altered some of the punctuation in the entire chapter. Also, I noticed a minor continuity error that I've also remedied. New version saved on 7.7.11.  
>Revision note: Document underwent revision to fix mistakes in grammar and punctuation, as well as to alter Alucard's description and dialogue. New version saved on 9.25.11.<p>

Co-Author's comments: I never would have thought that I'd be a person asked to help on a fanfic. Especially about ponies. PONIES! I mean, really? Like everyone, I had a SMALL amount of skepticism when I watched the show, and after watching it, I'm a full on brony.

Quite an amount of my own ideas Leoshi actually implemented into this chapter. Two major ones being putting the band that him and I are in into the story, and my OC, Alucard, being in the story as well. Most of what I actually do is help proof the story, and even point out parts that I think don't feel right. Mainly being character traits in general. Here's hoping chapter two to whatever the last one is will be as entertaining of a read as this one!

Next chapter: Rainbow's dream seems within reach as the Wonderbolts hold their tryouts to let her join their crew! She puts her heart into her performance, but when she almost achieves her goal, her world comes crashing down.


	2. Tryouts

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>Revised 9.25.11

Crazy funny pony _hellspawn_ from the minds of two writers!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer! You know that time you heard me saying "My Little Pony, My Little Pony?" Yeah, I was just quoting the show. It's the _title_. I wasn't claiming that these little ponies are actually mine. In fact, I never will claim that. Go call Hasbro for the right to _that_ claim.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the latest product from the Leoshi factory. Recounting the last chapter, Rainbow Dash had an unsettling dream that shot her nerves, but she refused to let it get her down – despite her disappointment at her wish not being granted.

Moving forward, this chapter picks up days later, as she takes a rare opportunity to prove herself to her idols, the Wonderbolts! (Show of hands – who thinks something will happen?)

**Chapter two:** Tryouts

It had been five days since Rainbow Dash suffered her unnerving dream. In the time since, she had managed to almost completely forget about it. The day after the dream, when the rain started to come down, she kept a wary ear out for growing sounds of thunder. However, the rain came and went without incident, and her fears went unfounded. She had slept peacefully since, not once enduring the dream again.

Not to say her days were uneventful; this day, in particular. Her unicorn friend, Twilight Sparkle, had called her into the large library on the town's edge, stating only that she "had important news to discuss" with her. Unable to hide her curiosity, Rainbow bombarded her friend with questions, asking what the news was.

Naturally, then, when Twilight said "The Wonderbolts are in town, holding preliminary tryouts to join their flight crew," it was all Rainbow Dash could do to contain her excitement. Actually, she didn't contain it very well.

"Where are they? They're here, now? Where are they? Have they prepared yet? Is my mane okay? Are all six of them here, or is it just one or two? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I don't think I'm ready…no, no, this is my chance! I'm ready, I'm ready now! Where are they?"

She didn't contain it very well at all.

The unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, calmly waited for her pegasus friend's excitement to ebb. She knew that Rainbow Dash would become giddy from the news – the Wonderbolts being in town and holding open tryouts – but not this much. However, Twilight couldn't blame her. She knew that this would be Rainbow's biggest and best chance to win them over. Anypony who impressed them would be considered as a new candidate to join their flock.

"Okay, okay, Rainbow! Give me a chance to speak here!" Twilight laughed. "It's hard to explain all of this to you when you're flying around the library like that! Can you please come down from there?"

"I can't help it," Rainbow claimed, though she did descend to the library's floor. "If they're here, then I need to make sure they see me! For real this time – not like what happened at the Gala."

The violet unicorn nodded her agreement, and spent a moment to reread her memo – she tapped into her magic, allowing the note to hover at neck-height. "According to this," she began, "the official tryouts won't begin until four this afternoon. All six Wonderbolts are in town, but they're probably going to be out of sight until the tryouts begin. This is a surprise to everyone in Ponyville, and they use that to test the hopeful pegasus ponies who want to join. The tryouts are open to any adult pegasus, but they won't be public performances – only the Wonderbolts and the candidates are allowed in."

"But _where_ are the tryouts held?" Rainbow asked. Actually, she rather demanded it.

"They are…ah, in a temporary cloudiseum just outside of Ponyville."

After hearing the location, Rainbow didn't care about the details. She leapt upward in the middle of Twilight's sentence, launching herself out of the library's balcony. She was intent on seeing this cloudiseum for herself.

Without noticing, Twilight continued. "It's at ground level, so the clouds are more like thick fog...huh? Hey!"

The blue-coated pegasus flapped her wings, raising herself higher away from the giant tree-turned-library. She scanned the perimeter of the town, not daring to blink lest she miss the location. And she saw it – a towering wall of white fog, with a few curious ponies already near it.

"Oh, wow, they worked fast!" Rainbow declared. "That cloudiseum wasn't there yesterday – they built that entire thing in only a day!"

"Rainbow!" Twilight had run outside, adamant to keep her friend from blindly rushing in. She flicked her head upward, but turned away – Rainbow's frame was eclipsed by the bright sunlight, and the radiance blinded Twilight for a moment. She wondered if Rainbow had meant that as a prank.

"You said four o'clock, right?" Rainbow Dash called down, still gazing at the cloud structure in the distance.

"Yeah, but-"

"And all six are here? The whole team?"

"Yes, the whole team, and-"

"This is so AWESOME! What are they judging? What tricks do you think I should do?"

"What? Rainbow, I-"

"Oh, maybe I should wear something! Maybe my Harmony necklace?"

"I don't think they'll be-"

"Nah, forget it, I'm good enough for them as I am!"

"Yes, but listen-"

"Oh, wait, what time did you say again? Four o'clock?"

"RAINBOW!"

The pegasus blinked, looking down. "Oh…what?"

"Will you _please_ come down here and listen to me?"

"You mean you weren't done? Sorry!" Feeling sheepish, Rainbow Dash dipped forward, lowering herself. She reached the ground in seconds.

Despite her annoyance, Twilight couldn't help but smile. She had to admire her friend's lifelong dream, and her dedication to making it come true. Despite everything that had happened to her in the past, she never once gave up hope on one day wearing the uniform of a Wonderbolt. Now that the first in a series of tryouts were beginning, she could finally begin reaching her dream the _official_ way, rather than relying on tricks and impressions.

Twilight sighed, and smiled. "As I was _trying_ to say," she began, "the tryouts are held in the cloudiseum, and they officially start at four o'clock. _But_, the Wonderbolts have left a special request, involving you!" She called a different scroll out of the library with her magic, once again allowing it to float above the ground. She manipulated the ties that bound the letter, allowing it to unfurl in front of her friend's eyes. "Here, you read it. They said it was for your eyes first."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, curious at her friend's grin. She blinked at the parchment before her eyes, and read the message aloud. The further she read, the more her excitement grew.

"'Due to the outstanding feats already preformed by one miss Rainbow Dash, we the Wonderbolts have collectively agreed that she shall be the first pegasus pony to compete for a spot amongst our ranks. We ask that she arrive at three this afternoon, an hour earlier than the posted time, to complete her attempt. Her esteemed friends are encouraged to attend and support her. Upon completion of her attempt, the remainder of the tryouts will resume as scheduled.

"'Best of luck. Regards, Spitfire, Captain.'"

By the time she read the signature at the foot of the scroll, Rainbow couldn't control her ecstatic breathing. _'They want me to compete first! I'm going to be competing first!'_ When she finally looked around the hovering parchment, her eyes were absolutely _beaming_. She hadn't smiled this widely in months.

Twilight smiled almost as widely as she did. "I had a feeling it would be good news."

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash felt that time had sped up dramatically. Three o'clock was arriving way too fast. She and her friends had only just arrived at the cloudiseum, and already it was past two-thirty. As the hour steadily approached, she felt butterflies take flight in her stomach. Their confidence in flying seemed to steal her confidence in her own.<p>

"How ya feelin', Rainbow?"

The blue-coated pegasus turned, seeing Applejack at her left. Clearly, Rainbow was still bad at hiding her anxiety – or perhaps her friends has grown wise to her nervousness. She adopted a grin that did nothing to hide her fear.

"I'm great!" she lied. "This is a dream come true, A.J. I feel just great!"

Applejack raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Listen, Rainbow," she began softly, "there ain't no need for ya doin' anythin' _fancy _while yer in there, okay?"

Rainbow's sense of pride kicked in. "What do you mean, _fancy_?"

"You're a bit of a showoff, sugercube. An' there ain't none of us wantin' you to be doin' anythin' that'll get ya hurt, or somethin'."

"Hah!" Rainbow scoffed, puffing out her chest. "_Me_? Get hurt? Please…there isn't a thing in the world that the Wonderbolts could ask me to do, that I _can't_ do!"

Applejack smiled. Just as she planned, calling Rainbow's pride into the picture totally overshadowed her anxiety, and faster than she thought. "Yeah, you'll be jes' fine."

Rainbow blinked. "What?"

"Oh, nothin'. Say, ain't that Apple Bloom's friend over there?"

The rainbow-maned pegasus gazed at her friend for a moment longer, wondering what she had meant. After a moment, she dismissed the thought, instead focusing on whom Applejack was referring to. Sure enough, the over-eager Scootaloo was ahead of them, apparently trying to get past the doorpony who wouldn't let her in.

"You're mistaken, kiddo. Nopony will be here until four this afternoon," he stated as calmly as he could. This obviously wasn't the first time he had told her such.

"No way!" she shouted, jumping up to meet his gaze. "There's got to be someone here! Haven't you seen a pegasus with rainbow hair? She's the best around – you must have let _her_ in already!"

"Sorry. Haven't seen anypony like tha- ah, nevermind. Here she comes now."

Scootaloo was washed with confusion, until she finally noticed that he was looking behind her. She turned her head – and when she saw who was walking up, her eyes positively _beamed_. "Rainbow Dash! You're here!"

Rainbow stifled a good-humored groan. She trotted up alongside her friends. "What brings you here, pipsqueak? You gonna try out too?"

The filly shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I came to watch _you_ perform!"

"Me?"

"Yeah! I knew you would never pass up a chance to prove your worth to the Wonderbolts, so I decided to come on down and cheer for you!"

Rainbow gestured to the five ponies who were with her. "I sorta already have a cheering section, Scoot. Besides…" She trailed off, looking at Twilight for support.

"What?" Scootaloo asked. "'Besides' what?"

Twilight looked from one pegasus to the other, finally stepping in. "It's not a public performance, Scootaloo. The Wonderbolts are keeping the general public out of this, so they can make fair judgments."

"Yes, that's right," Fluttershy added. "This is just the first of many tryouts, after all, so they can't afford to hold full-scale shows at every location."

The young pegasus' smile deflated. "What?" she cried, not believing what she was just told. "When did they decide that?"

"It's in the notice, squirt." Rainbow pointed to the outside wall of the cloudiseum, where several dozen flyers were tacked up.

"But what about all of you? You're going!"

Rarity pitched in. "We've been made a special exception, dear, as well as Rainbow Dash. That's why we're all here so early."

"But…but!"

"Sorry, squirt," Rainbow began, looking sympathetic for the filly's sake. "Look, just go hang out with your friends for a few hours while I dominate this tryout, okay?"

The young pegasus tried one last time. "But, Rainbow!"

"Lemme make it up to you, okay? How about a few flying lessons?"

Needless to say, the prospect of being taught by her hero completely wiped all arguments from Scootaloo's mind. "You…you mean it?"

"That's a promise."

The little filly sighed, defeated and excited at the same time. She flexed the tiny, underdeveloped wings she had, wondering what kind of lessons she could get out of her hero. "Well…alright, then. Since you promised."

"Head on out, short stuff," Applejack said, stepping forward. "You'd better get your rest, 'cause I betchya Rainbow here is gonna run ya ragged."

Scootaloo smiled, and took off at a run. "I can handle it! Thanks, everypony!" she called back.

The group of friends spared a moment to watch her go. Rainbow chuckled – she couldn't help but see some of herself in that girl, so full of dreams and eager to impress.

The doorpony cleared his throat, rending the calm that had claimed the day. Rainbow's ears flopped around as he spoke. "I take it you are miss Rainbow Dash?"

She looked back at the colt, Scootaloo forgotten. "Hey, yeah! Ya heard of me?"

* * *

><p>The interior of the cloudiseum was absolutely stunning. Since it was built on the ground, the four non-pegasi were able to explore the stadium with ease. Twilight was awestruck by how cool the hallways and rooms were, which she attributed to the water vapor still trapped in the billows of cloud. Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof, seemed more concerned with why the clouds, which looked like cotton candy, had no flavor.<p>

Rainbow led her friends through the white corridors, her excitement and anxiety growing with every hoofstep. She wasn't nervous, no – at least not about the tryouts. She was nervous about how the flight team she idolized would treat her after the events of the Grand Galloping Gala. A few helper ponies who were in the hallways directed them toward the center of the structure, where the tryouts would be held.

Needless to say, when she turned the corner and saw the entire team of six out of uniform – she hesitated.

As the six friends entered the cloudiseum's middle into the sunlight, the six Wonderbolts had not yet noticed them. The flight team was gathered in a circle near one wall, conversing among themselves. Two were hovering in place, one was sitting, another was consulting a memo pad held in the cleft of her hoof, and the final two were standing. It was clear that these two held the authority, but their conversation was light. A sound of laughter burst from them.

Rainbow recognized the two standing ponies by their manes alone. The one on the right was a strong navy blue, while the left had a flowing yellow and orange. Soarin' and Spitfire, the two leaders of the group. Like their manes, their coats were of blue and yellow; very different than the uniforms Rainbow Dash was expecting

She blinked. _'They look so…normal, without their outfits. I don't think I was prepared for this.'_

One of the ponies, the female with the memo, finally noticed the awkward six guests that had just arrived. She muttered something that Rainbow couldn't hear, but it must have been important, because the four relaxing pegasi rose – or dropped – to their hooves. Spitfire and Soarin' turned in unison, finally gazing upon the hopeful mare that so desired their attention.

The two groups of six walked toward the center of the cloudiseum; the Wonderbolts simply wanting to welcome their guests, while Rainbow was half-pushed forward by the five at her flank. The smile on Spitfire's face was genuine, while Rainbow's was forced. She was drawing a total blank. Of all the things she was prepared for, seeing her idols out of uniform was not one of them.

After a few seconds that felt like an hour, the two groups met in the center. Spitfire spoke first.

"Glad to see you could make it. Though you're still a little earlier than we were expecting."

Rainbow's reply was immediate. "You look so _normal_!"

If the flight team had anything to say, their words died in their throats. After a moment to pause, a moment just long enough for Rainbow to realize just how silly she sounded, a moment made worse when even Pinkie Pie said "What are you talking about?", the Wonderbolts broke into a fit of laughter. Soarin' was loudest of the group.

Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity all joined in the laughter. Rainbow forced herself to chuckle, while Pinkie seemed utterly clueless (nopony was surprised in the least). "What's so funny, girls? …Giiiiiiirls?"

Spitfire wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, by the Steed…what, did you think we just never took off the uniform?"

Rainbow blinked. Her mind still drew only a blank. "Uh, well…that is…"

"I should hope not!" one of the fliers called. "We'd smell Soarin' for weeks!"

"Hey, not saying we couldn't _try_…" another one cracked, earning a laugh from Soarin' and a wretched look from the female members of the group.

"Heheh…let's try again, shall we?" Spitfire said, effectively bringing an end to the jokes. She turned her head back toward the group of six in front of her, extending a hoof to the blue-coated pegasus who stood numbly. "Welcome to the tryouts. Hope you're prepared for a rough flight."

Rainbow glanced at the hoof reaching for her, twitched, and raised her own. She shook, finally able to think on her own once more. "I hope _you're _prepared for one, too!" she said, grinning widely.

Soarin' smiled. "Since you're all here, we might as well get started. That okay with everypony?" The eleven heads around him nodded at once. "Okay, you ladies wait here for a moment. We'll go prepare ourselves for this 'rough flight' your friend promises us."

With that, the team turned and trotted toward the far exit, where their uniforms were undoubtedly waiting. Fluttershy stepped forward, a wide smile on her face.

"Oh Rainbow Dash, I'm so happy for you! I just know you're going to make an impression!"

Rainbow smiled back, albeit dumbly. "You think so?"

"Oh, without a doubt, darling," Rarity added. "There's nopony better at flying than you."

"You betchya!" Pinkie jumped in. "Hey, think you'll do another Sonic Rainboom for them? It would be the most coolest thing ever!"

"Ah-hah, I don't think so, Pink. They've already seen one, remember? If I need to impress them, I'll have to do something new," Rainbow replied. She and her friends turned and walked back to the doorway they had come from. As she walked, she took the time to flap her wings, stretching the muscles loose. "I don't even know what I would do, anyway. This entire tryout thing is very sudden."

"They always are," Twilight informed, ever the voice of knowledge. "Back in Canterlot, the tryouts are only announced a few hours ahead of time, just like this one. You're very fortunate to have been made this exception – it's never been done before!"

"Ah'll say!" Applejack stood crossed-legged like always. "Especially after that mess we all got into at the Gran' Gala. Why, after all that happened there, I had us figured for being kicked outta events like this!"

"I know, me too!" Rainbow said, finally showing some of her excitement. "I don't know exactly what I'll do, or what the Wonderbolts will want me to do…but I know this is important, and I don't want to mess up."

Her friend nodded. Fluttershy spoke up again. "Um, Rainbow? If you do make it as a part of the team…what will you do?"

For the second time that day, Rainbow Dash drew a blank. "I…don't really know, to be honest. I guess I might begin training with them, and I might need to move to wherever they go."

"That would be Canterlot," Twilight interjected. "Their headquarters aren't far from the royal palace. I've gone inside it a few times while studying with the Princess – it's breathtaking."

But Applejack wasn't listening. She had a question of her own. "You said you'd have to move? You'll need to leave us?"

"…maybe. I don't know."

As the thought sunk in, unease settled among the group of friends. It's true that Rainbow had never considered what she would do if ever she _did_ make it into the Wonderbolts. Her thoughts were only ever consumed with the making it in, and never what came after. As they stood waiting, she imagined what would happen if she won a spot on the roster. Leaving Ponyville, performing large-scale shows, travelling to other locations – the thoughts scared her.

Twilight spoke after a moment. "They're ready for you."

Rainbow turned, seeing her idols as she knew them – blue uniforms with bolt marks on their flanks. Spitfire still had her goggles on her forehead, while her five teammates all had theirs over their eyes already. The team stopped in the middle of the cloudiseum as before, and calmly waited for their potential candidate to join them.

Swallowing a lump of anxiety, Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and began to hover toward them. As she left, Applejack called out to her. "You can do it, Rainbow! Show 'em what yer made of!"

The words of encouragement eased her nervousness as she landed near the team. Spitfire looked her up and down, finally scrutinizing her as a candidate. She had to admit, this weather mare had all the looks and tone – all she needed was the right ability.

"Well, now," Spitfire began, lowering her goggles with a flick of her hoof, "let's get started. We'll do some basic flight exercises, then go right into the free-flight. How do you feel?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be," Rainbow replied.

"Well, alright then. Wonderbolts!" she barked. As one unit, the five members behind her lowered their heads, spread their wings, and focused. They stood ready, waiting the order to take off. Spitfire turned around, took her place at their center, and assumed the same poise.

"Wait a minute!" Rainbow shouted. Something didn't seem right. "You mean you're..."

"Going to fly, yes," Soarin' replied.

"And I'm…"

"Going to fly with us."

Rainbow Dash stood stunned for a moment, but no longer. She smiled, and mirrored the position. She waited for the command to leap upward, which seemed to not be coming. Beads of sweat sprouted on her crown, and she was suddenly aware of how hot the sun was. She scanned each of her heroes before her – though impossible to read their faces behind the uniforms and goggles, she imagined at least two of them were stifling laughter. At what, she couldn't tell.

Finally, after several moments spent in tense silence, Spitfire spoke once more. Her sentence was short, quiet, and strong. "Reach the horizon."

In perfect unison, the seven pegasi shot into the air. The flapping of their wings was the only sound they heard as they gained height. After a few short seconds, the Wonderbolts moved inward, circling Rainbow as they rose.

Confused, Rainbow looked to one of the members as she came near. "What's going on?" she called out.

"Just relax and follow our formation," the mare replied. "You'll see!"

And that's just what she did. With Spitfire in the lead, the group of flyers began to take smooth, easy turns in the sky. She performed basic maneuvers, freefalling, rotating – all things meant to stretch out important muscles and focus their awareness of what they were doing.

After a few minutes, the Wonderbolt mare called out again. "Alright, girlie – let's see what you're made of!"

Before Rainbow could call back a question, a movement of darkness at her side caught her attention. Out of nowhere, tendrils of black stormclouds began to snake out behind Soarin'; Rainbow recognized it as the flight wake trail they were so famous for. Seconds later, the rest had begun to produce the same material, and Spitfire began to pick up speed. Before long, the herd of seven was flying so fast, tears began to sting behind Rainbow's eyes. _'Maybe I should have asked for a pair of those goggles…'_ she thought.

As Spitfire led them through turns that grew constantly tighter, thoughts vanished from Rainbow Dash's mind. Instinct took over, and her vision narrowed to follow the leading pony's movements exactly. Which was just what she did.

Exhilaration filled Rainbow's being to the brim as she flew better than she had ever flown before. Together with the Wonderbolts around her, they sped across the cloudiseum, leaving smoke and rainbow trails in their wake. For every tight turn the Wonderbolts made, Rainbow followed it perfectly by instinct. She felt more at home now than she had ever felt in her life. It was as though her mind was meshed with the minds of the ponies flying with her. Their thoughts were one, their movements fluid and perfect.

From the sidelines, the group of friends watched the show with rapt attention. Applejack, in particular, was amazed at her friend's agility. It was easy to make out the form of the pegasi when they flew straight and true, but when they preformed their tricks and feats, the most she could easily see were the clouds they left at their hind hooves. The blonde earth pony could barely discern Rainbow's wake that matched her name; the darkness of the Wonderbolts' thunderclouds utterly obscured it.

As they came out of an impressive loop-de-loop, Rainbow Dash pulled ahead of the team for the first time. She spared a moment to gaze to her right. She could barely make out the stationary specks of color that were her friends, standing in awe as they watched the spectacle. Two of those colors – orange and violet, which were Applejack and Twilight – moved forward as she began to pass them. Soon, the other three moved forward as well, smiles of pride on all of their faces.

Rainbow blinked. As she drew closer, she noticed something. What she thought were smiles were something completely different. It was the eyes – there was panic behind them. Behind all of them. Rainbow barely had time to think_ 'What's wrong?'_ before she heard her friends shouting.

No. Screaming.

"Rainbow! No!"

"Don't stop, Rainbow – don't slow down! _Get away!_"

"Rainbow…_what did you do?_"

"Oh no, look! It's…!"

"Oh gosh, what _is_ that?"

Rainbow forced herself to stop and turn, against the warnings of her friends. She looked behind her, expecting to see the Wonderbolts falling behind or coming in for a landing. But what she saw burned into her memory.

There was a dark _something_ following her, not unlike the thunderclouds that the Wonderbolts used. But this mass was clearly different. Instead of yellow or white volts of lightning, it shot out bolts of blue, grey, and black. Two of those bolts has connected with Spitfire and Soarin', sending them reeling. Four others had contacted the remaining Wonderbolts, but rather than being knocked away, they were held in midair. They struggled, clearly in agony.

One final electric black bolt of energy was loosed, heading straight for Rainbow. She never had a chance to fly away. It struck her in the midriff, spinning her in midair. The bolt utterly consumed her, and she shrieked in pain. Just once.

She heard the screaming of her friends, but they sounded so distant. She saw the hard ground rise to meet her, and she knew she should have felt her contact it, but darkness enveloped her senses moments before. The last thing she remembered were the screams. Screams of horror. Screams of agony.

**End chapter two**

Author's comments: Took me long enough to get this one done, don't you agree? I ran into some real-life trouble while this was being written, not the least of which is car-related. However, I've got the entire story planned out now, so these waits shouldn't happen too often any more.

Anyway, I'll keep this comment section short for two reasons. One, because chapter three will provide some much-needed answers to the main question of "What the hell just happened?". And two, because my co-author is unavailable as I type this, so I'm having to move forward without his eye for detail.

Revision note: Document underwent revision to correct some syntax errors, and added the detail of Rainbow pulling ahead of the Wonderbolts. New version saved 9.25.11.

Next chapter: Rainbow wakes up from a nightmare, lying in a hospital bed. She is told exactly what happened at the tryouts, and it's then she learns that she's _living_ a new nightmare.


	3. No More Dreams

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>Revised: 9.25.11

Adventures of a colorful variety from two colorful minds!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: _Trust me_, if I actually DID own ponies, they would be on a flat of farmland in North Texas, somewhere near the Red River. You know, the kind of ponies that eat oats and have coat colors that _aren't_ part of the rainbow spectrum.

Thank you, everypony, for being here bright and early! We're going to need every single pony's help to wrap up wint- *Cough cough* _Ahem_, excuse me. Welcome back to the story. If you've been following the tale up until now, you'll know that Rainbow Dash took part in tryouts for her dream team, the Wonderbolts. However, something went wrong, and she never found out what.

Well, in this chapter, we find out what, and see Rainbow make a life-changing decision as a result! Let's get rolling!

**Chapter three:** No More Dreams

The world was shaking. A storm was raging, its' occasional blasts of thunder rocking Equestria to its' very core, tearing it apart piece by piece. Rainbow Dash looked around – she stood alone on the lip of a sheer cliff. Behind her, a wall of dark fog blocked her vision of seeing where she had come from. But she wasn't looking backward. It's what was happening _before_ her that held her attention.

The sun, the sky, the entire _world_ was thrown into a dark haze. Storm clouds hung low over the land, assaulting the ground below it. Bolts of black lightning splintered forests, boiled rivers, and burned meadows, leaving only a shadow of what once was. Down further, the skeletal structures of buildings were collapsing. The sound of their cracking foundations went unheard beneath the dreadful bedlam of the storm.

Not a single pony was in sight, yet screams still rang out between the claps of thunder. Rather, it seemed like one, single scream – agonizing, unending, unrelenting.

Rainbow gazed upward. Through a single hole in the clouds, a giant mass could easily be seen. A mighty black orb with a fiery corona dominated the afternoon sky where the sun should have been. Despite the fact that the storm had lasted for hours, the eclipse had not moved an inch. Far above the skyline, the power of the eclipse seemed to invigorate the black lightning that scorched the land.

Finally, Rainbow forced herself to look down at the bottom of the cliff. There, she saw, seemed to be the source of the breathless scream. At the foot of the cliff, a single pony could be seen. Cyan coat, pegasus wings, a rainbow mane – she saw herself at the bottom. This double of her was lying still, her body broken on the rocks, blood seeping out of innumerable wounds. Her wings were bent at impossible angles, their feathers roughed and missing in several spots. Her eyes were wide and locked with Rainbow's, and her mouth hung open. From that mouth, the scream originated.

Rainbow Dash lifted one hoof, and found it covered in a thin material. A dark blue cloth covered her hooves, and ran up her leg to cover her body. The blue was broken only once, and it was by a zig-zag yellow pattern near the end of the legging. It reminded her of the uniforms for the Wonderbolts-

Realization hit her like a tidal wave. The Wonderbolts. The tryouts. Something had appeared during her flight that had attacked her and the team. Rainbow's eyes widened – on the end of the legging, blood began to sprout. It seeped through the cloth, discoloring the uniform to a hideous black. The warm liquid spread around her hoof until it finally grew too heavy. Drops of blood formed and fell onto the rock, pooling beneath her.

The blood that fell caught her attention. When it contacted the rock, it pushed some of the dirt around it to its' edges, looking like a black orb with a golden halo - not unlike the total eclipse above her. She stared at the blood in wonder. The longer she gazed at it, the louder the unending scream became, until at last it overtook the cacophony of the storm.

* * *

><p>Rainbow's own shriek woke her up, and when she opened her eyes, all she could see was the image of the pooling blood. She blinked, and she saw the eclipse once more. Rainbow continued blinking until at last she saw where she <em>really<em> was.

She was lying on a simple bed, white sheets made slick with her sweat. A bedside table had been brought with water and a towel, but the towel was wrinkled, clearly used. Her gaze drifted to a nearby window, where she saw a sky covered in grey storm clouds. Torrents of rain were falling on Ponyville, accompanied by white flashes and low rumbles.

Instinctively, she looked at her hoof, and found it wrapped in a bandage. The underside was marred by a red spot, but it had long since gone dark. A dull sting was registering from the area. As Rainbow considered it, she shifted to wrest comfort from the dampened sheets, and a sharp pain jolted her system from her midsection. She looked down.

Her midriff, just below her rib cage, was wrapped in the same bandages as her hoof. Only these wraps were thrown on more callously, clearly rushed. A dark area seeped through the cloth, but not the dark red of dried blood. It took on the color of dark blue, almost black.

As Rainbow gazed at it, she realized something. The dark spot wasn't staining the bandages. It wasn't even a liquid. It was a _glow_. The bandages were meant to cover whatever was glowing on her body, and were failing at doing so. The truth of this caused adrenaline to seep into her system, which was already running hard from her vivid nightmare. She noticed that she was breathing short, shallow breaths, but she made no attempt to calm them.

A nearby door flew open. Rainbow instinctively flinched, lowering herself on the bed, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. "No!" she cried. "Please!"

"Rainbow Dash! I heard screaming – what's wrong?"

Rainbow gasped and opened her eyes. Fluttershy stood in the doorway, her eyes locked on the shivering creature before her. Without turning around, she closed the door with a hind leg, softer than what was necessary. She trotted forward.

"I'm so relieved to see you finally awake. The doctors were unsure as to what they could do to wake you! How are you feeling? Is your hoof hurting at all? They left some medicine in case there's any pain."

Rainbow Dash tried to sit up, but the bandages on her stomach irritated whatever they were hiding. A sharp pain jolted through her system, and she grabbed at the area with her injured hoof. She grimaced, beads of sweat sprouting anew. The pain had rendered her stunned for a moment, and all she could do was remain still and wait for it to pass.

"Oh, please try not to move too much," Fluttershy said. "That, ah…_bruise_ you got is like nothing I've seen before. It's going to take a long time to…heal."

Rainbow looked into her friends eyes. It was clear she was lying, trying to reassure her. With bad news, no less. Which meant, whatever the truth was, it was much worse than what Fluttershy dared to say. Or maybe she didn't even know what it really was.

As the pain eased away, Rainbow finally breathed a question. "Where are we?" The question came out raspy. She swallowed to moisten her parched throat, and asked again. "Fluttershy…where are we?"

"Po…Ponyville urgent care."

"It's storming outside…just how long have I been…out?"

Fluttershy blinked. "Just over a day now. There was a mild rain scheduled for today, but without your help, it looks like the weather ponies overdid themselves-"

She was cut off by a sudden thump at the door. Both pegasi snapped their gazes toward the doorway, expecting it to open. Instead, they heard voices coming from the other side. There were two, and they seemed to be arguing. It was impossible to tell behind the door – the sounds came in muffled and quiet. Fluttershy walked over and, either by curiosity or concern, opened the door a crack, just enough to let the sound come in clearly.

"…an' as Ah told you before, Ah'll come find you when she's awake an' well. Not before."

Rainbow blinked. "Applejack?"

The other voice shot back. "You heard that scream, too. Don't try to tell me you didn't. It seems pretty obvious that she's awake, and well enough to talk if she can scream _that_ loud! Let me through!"

"The fact that she's screamin' means she ain't well at all. One of our friends is in there now, checkin' on her. So long as she's inside, you won't be. Understand?"

The second voice groaned, then _laughed_. It was a laugh that barely concealed rage. "You're still going to keep me from her? After all that she's done?"

"That's right."

"Tell me why!"

"It's 'cause you ain't in yer right mind, Spitfire."

Rainbow Dash couldn't hold back her shocked gasp. Fluttershy opened the door another few millimeters, trying to see the celebrity, but to no avail. The most she could see was the right half of an apple – Applejack's cutie mark. She was blocking the doorway, standing firm.

Spitfire spoke again, feigning calm. "Not in my right mind…yeah, you're probably right. My mind is a total wreck right now. I have all this anger, all this hatred, and it's all for that little blue mare you're protecting!"

"Exactly mah point."

"So it doesn't matter if she's awake and well or not. You're saying you won't let me in until I appear calm and in control. Is that it?"

"Yep. That'd be it."

"Damn you!"

A loud _bam_ was heard, accompanied by a sudden force that rocked the door on its' hinges. Rainbow thought it was a lightning strike at first, but when the sound of shattering glass invaded her ears, she knew it was something else. Spitfire, in her anger, had kicked the hallway wall with all her might, bringing down an assortment of pictures. The frames shattered on the wooden floors, sending glass and splintered wood scattering.

Spitfire continued to shout. Her voice dripped venom. "You must be a _real_ good friend to be defending somepony like _her_. Don't you know what she's taken from me?"

"Of course Ah do, and I'm sorry for yer loss, but it don't change-"

"Oh, you're _sorry_? You're _sorry_, and you still won't let me in to make things right?"

"It don't change nothin'. That's right."

"You know you can't protect her forever, right?"

"Ah don't have to. Just long enough for you to calm down an' get yerself in order."

Spitfire's voice was growing quieter. She was walking away. "And you also know it's a crime to shelter a murderer?"

Rainbow's eyes widened. "M…_murderer_?" she whispered.

Fluttershy quickly pushed the door closed, but Applejack's final comment of "Yeah, Ah know" came through clearly. The pale yellow pegasus held on to the knob with both hooves, not daring to look back at her injured friend. She could feel her gaze boring into her. After a full minute spent in tense silence, Rainbow finally spoke.

"Fluttershy…"

"It's nothing!"

Rainbow blinked. Fluttershy finally turned around, wearing a smile that barely covered her fear.

"It's nothing at all!" she repeated. "I'm sure Spitfire's just upset because it's raining…yeah, that's it. She and the, ah…the Wonderbolts were supposed to have been at…at Fillydelphia by now, but the storm has…has grounded them!"

The lies fell short. The rainbow-maned pony pried once more. "Fluttershy, stop…"

"I'm sure that's what it is!" she cried. A tinge of panic shone in her eye. "You…you think so too, right?"

"No, Fluttershy…I don't."

The two of them locked gazes. The longer they stared, the less Fluttershy could take. She started to tear up, and began to plead. "Don't…don't make me say it…please…"

Rainbow shifted, forcing herself to ignore the excruciating pain that shot from her side. "Please, Fluttershy…I have to know. What exactly happened to me? Why is Spitfire so…furious? Please tell me."

Fluttershy lowered her head, trying to hide herself. "No, I…I can't…"

"Tell me."

"Please, Rainbow, I…don't make me say it, I…" She was _crying_.

"Tell me!" she pleaded, slamming her hoof on the bed. The impact, though soft, sent a minor pain up her foreleg, but she didn't register it. Fluttershy looked up at her friend. The memory was welling up inside her, aching to be let out, but she was frightened of what would happen.

Finally, she sighed in defeat. She looked at the floor, took a breath, and began in a whisper.

"It all happened…right after your warm-up. We couldn't see clearly, but…something was _following_ you."

* * *

><p>The sun was bright and warm, a perfect contrast to the cool cloud wall at Fluttershy's back. She stood with her four friends, watching Rainbow Dash zip across the sky with the legendary flight team, the Wonderbolts. Their turns were gentle at first as they prepared their bodies for the more arduous feats that were sure to come.<p>

A minute passed before the Wonderbolts launched their signature storm cloud wake. As they gained speed, Rainbow's own multi-colored wake trail could easily be seen, lines of dazzling color against the power of the manifested clouds. Around her, Fluttershy's friends began cheering and whooping. She stayed silent, watching in wonder.

Rarity was the first pony to notice something was amiss. "Say…" she began. "Is it just me, or is Rainbow's streak getting…darker?"

The group of five focused on the rainbow trailing behind their friend. Sure enough, the colors seemed to be going duller, and the faster she flew, the darker they appeared. Eventually, it was impossible to discern her trail from those of the Wonderbolts.

"What's goin' on?" Applejack asked, looking at Twilight.

"I have no idea! Is…is Rainbow alright?"

Nopony had an answer. They remained still, watching more with concern now than awe. The seven pegasi swooped low out of a loop-de-loop, speeding from one end of the cloudiseum to the other. But something _else_ was left behind from Rainbow Dash – a small black mass had appeared at the crux of her turn, partially obscured by the cloud wake. It moved forward, following the trail that was left behind from the pegasi. The further it moved, the faster it went and larger it grew.

It appeared to be chasing the unsuspecting flight team. The dark mass boiled, bulbous, growing from an apple-sized orb to something larger than the chariots used in the capitol. It sped along the wake left behind from the pegasi. Grey jolts of power lined the outside, and as it grew nearer, six spots began to glow.

The glowing spots on the dark mass flashed once, and thick bolts of black lightning sped forth. Each bolt contacted the Wonderbolts, sending the two farthest fliers – Spitfire and Soarin' – falling toward the ground. The other four weren't so lucky. The bolts enveloped them, stopping their movements mid-flight, holding them in the air.

Applejack and Twilight stepped forward. They, along with their friends, began screaming at Rainbow Dash, pleading her to not stop, to keep flying, to get as far away as possible. But their pleas had the opposite effect. Rainbow forced herself to stop and turn, finally seeing what was behind her. The sight stunned her for a moment, just long enough for the dark field to get closer and loose off a seventh bolt.

Fluttershy felt herself screaming, but she couldn't hear it. All she could see was the bolt arcing toward her friend. She remembered thinking _'Get away, get away! Hurry!'_

The lightning made contact, sending Rainbow spinning through the air as the energy surrounded her for a split second. Time seemed to slow for the five ponies on the ground. They watched her fall, clearly seeing the expression of pain she wore. She hit the ground hard, bouncing once.

Immediately after launching the final bolt, the entire mass faded from view, leaving behind no trace that it was ever there. The four Wonderbolts it held dropped like stones, contacting the grassy ground beneath them. They didn't move.

Applejack was the first to spring into action. She ran out onto the field, not stopping until she reached Rainbow's shuddering form. After making sure she was still breathing, the blonde earth pony grabbed her foreleg with both hooves, twisted, and lifted her body upward. She moved around beneath the blue pegasus, settling her across her back.

"Applejack!" Twilight was calling from across the field. She and the others had rushed out to the fallen flight team. Spitfire was standing up on her own, through clearly struggling to do so.

Applejack yelled back toward them. "Get them all outta here! Ah'm taking Rainbow to the care center! Meet me there!"

"But Applejack, wait!"

"No! Meet me there, Twilight! Ah'm goin' ahead!" She didn't wait to hear any further arguments. Applejack barreled out of the cloudiseum, ignoring the concerned glances she was cast by passers-by.

She didn't see Spitfire drag herself over to her teammates, calling out to them. She didn't see her receive silence for a response. She didn't see her kneel down next to them and beseech them to move. She didn't see her begin to despair, or hear her shrieks of agony as she cursed the Steed.

* * *

><p>Fluttershy was forced to stop recalling what had happened. She choked up on her internal sobbing, sinking to the hospital floor. Hot tears stung behind her eyes, and no matter how many escaped to roll down her cheeks, the stinging didn't relent. She stayed there, shuddering, trying to picture happier times, but was only able to see the still bodies of ponies being warmed by an innocent sun.<p>

Rainbow Dash was certain she should be blinking or breathing, yet the only thing she could do was hear the constant pounding of her own heart. She stared at the door behind Fluttershy, unable to form a thought. She tried to speak, but her throat had gone totally dry.

The meek voice of the yellow pegasus rose up once more. "After you were…were brought here, the rest of us arrived. Between us and Spitfire, we were able to bring the…Wonderbolts…here as well. The doctors told us that Soarin' would be alright, and Spitfire was lucky to be as far ahead as she was…"

Rainbow's voice finally produced a sound. Words grated up her throat, burning her. "What about the rest of the team?"

Fluttershy drew herself in tighter. Her sobbing grew more grievous, her tears flowing without impediment. She couldn't answer.

"…Fluttershy?"

Silence, save for the barely contained sobs. It was quite possibly the worst reply she could have given.

A long breath escaped Rainbow Dash's lips. Something inside her seemed to snap, and a myriad of thoughts began to spring forth. She wasn't able to keep track of them. In a daze, she looked at her bandaged hoof, absent-mindedly examining the spot of red. Her gaze travelled up her leg, until she saw the edge of the dark glow seeping through her stomach's bandage. It looked like the glow had intensified.

A sound came out of Rainbow's throat, totally unbidden. "No…"

She pushed herself off the bed – her midriff sent scorching pain through her body, but her mind had grown numb to the feeling. She dragged herself over to the window, where she was barely able to make out her reflection.

"No…" she repeated. "I…this can't be…"

She gazed at her reflection, trying to make out all the details of her face. The reflection was like a ghost, staring back with eyes gone totally white. There was no blinking, but the raindrops on the window made it look like it was crying.

"What do you…the Wonderbolts are…"

The ghost-like reflection seemed to grin as it stared into Rainbow's soul.

"…_dead_?"

The word fed panic into her system. She began breathing hard, and she tried to think, but couldn't hold on to her thoughts. She looked down, staring at the glowing darkness that rendered her bandages useless. She put her weight on her hind legs, and began to push at the wrapping with her hooves, suddenly desperate to see what was hidden.

Fluttershy looked up, and panicked. "Rainbow, don't!"

"What happened to me, Fluttershy? You still haven't told me!" she shouted, her words punctuated by a lightning strike outside. The rain began to fall harder.

"We don't know!" she finally admitted, rising to all fours. "Twilight thinks it's something to do with magic, but it's like nothing she's ever seen!"

Rainbow still worked on the bandages, finding purchase beneath her right wing. She dug in and pulled. The ties loosened.

"Please don't, Rainbow! We don't want anything to happen before the Princess arrives!"

Rainbow Dash stopped her efforts for a moment. She looked up with panic-stricken eyes. "The…Princess?"

"Yes, Princess Celestia. Twilight believes that if anypony can tell us what's wrong with you, it's her. She should be here soon after the storm breaks."

"But…but ponies have died! And you said this _magic_, whatever it is, came out from me!"

Fluttershy backed up a step, looking away. "We…we don't know anything yet…"

"I don't want to hurt anypony, Fluttershy! I never wanted to!" She redoubled her efforts to remove the bandages. The entire line of cloth became loose, dropping a few centimeters.

"No, please don't! Please, just wait for the Princess! She can help you, I'm sure of it!" Fluttershy stepped forward, reaching out with one hoof.

A new feeling entered Rainbow's mind. Something akin to a white-hot lance shooting across her vision, bring with it new feelings of pain, feelings of a different sort. Her vision went blank for a moment, and she could feel herself moving, struggling against another force. Just as suddenly as the feeling entered, it vanished following a loud ensemble of crashes and thumps.

Rainbow opened her eyes, still breathing heavily. Fluttershy had been pushed aside, squarely hitting a nearby case filled with plastic tools and glass cups. Shards of glass covered her body, but not a single one had cut her. However, her contact with the case itself had left a deep mark in her skin, sure to develop into a long-lasting bruise. She shuddered, silently whimpering.

Rainbow Dash stared at her, utterly stunned. Her hooves were extended outward, still rigid from when they had violently shoved her friend away. In the cleft of her uninjured hoof, the wrinkled bandage from her midriff dangled low. It was the purest white. She gazed down, finally seeing the dark area that frightened her so. Along her left side, a growing spot of black and blue was shining. Telltale patterns danced across the surface from edge to edge, never staying still. It was the size of an eggplant, and still it expanded across her front bit by bit.

A rumbling came from outside the door, and it flew open. Applejack barreled in, eyes darting across the scene. She saw Fluttershy first, gasped, and then finally took stock of Rainbow Dash. Their eyes met, concern and panic clashing in their expressions.

Applejack stepped forward. She was slow, deliberate – wary of what her pegasus friend might do. She opened her mouth to speak.

Rainbow didn't bother to hear it. The feeling of the white lance pierced her mind again, and she felt herself running harder than she had ever run before. The excruciating pain from the glowing area on her body did not register. All she felt was the shock of her hooves hitting the floor and the panic devouring her every thought. Sounds of cracking glass invaded her ears – she was in the hallway, stepping on the few telltale shards of glass remaining from the fallen picture frames.

The whiteness left her once again, and she saw the hallway leading toward a doorway. A long-stretching meadow was seen outside, decorated with pelting raindrops and another flash of lightning. She pushed herself harder, spreading her wings, ready to take flight as soon as she felt dirt beneath her hooves. The door was just yards away.

"_Rainbow Dash!_"

She didn't need to look behind her. The shout had clearly come from Spitfire, roused to the hallway after hearing the commotion. The sound of another set of hooves told her that the Wonderbolt captain was giving chase, and was catching up very quickly. She leapt and tilted herself, slamming into the doorway with her shoulder. It gave way, opening into the grey world beyond.

Rainbow touched the ground, waited a beat, then launched herself up into the air. Fat drops of rain stained her coat and weighed down her wing feathers, but she didn't dare stop. She only cared about getting as far away from the ponies she cared about, if only to keep them safe from her.

"You can't out-fly me, Rainbow Dash! Don't even try!"

Spitfire took to the air right after Rainbow had, and was closing the distance between them. Rainbow began to twist and weave through the air, trying to shake her pursuer, but to no avail. Spitfire matched her movements perfectly, growing closer to the fleeing pegasus.

Rainbow was shouting, her words barely heard above the storm. "Please, don't! I don't want to hurt you! I don't want to hurt anypony!"

"You're too late!" came the reply. "You must answer for what you've done! You won't get away from me!"

Spitfire closed the gap between them. She reached out with both hooves, grabbing on to Rainbow's hind leg with a vice-grip. The feeling of the hold sent yet another white lance through Rainbow's mind.

"_No!_" she cried. The air was rent with lightning.

As soon as Spitifire gripped the leg of the fleeing pony, Rainbow twisted, bringing her other hind leg around. Her hoof contacted Spitfire's temple, sending stars across her vision. But still she held on, her seething anger the only thing on her mind. Rainbow kicked again, this time hitting her foreleg. Spitfire felt her grip loosen, about to break. She pulled downward, forcing Rainbow's body toward her.

She brought one hoof back, about to punch forward, when she saw the eyes. Two blank areas of the purest white where the eyes used to be. They stared forward, unseeing. They unnerved Spitfire, causing her to hesitate in stunned silence.

A sudden kick from Rainbow Dash finally broke the grip Spitfire held. She was knocked away, breathless – the kick forced the wind out of her. Rainbow flapped her wings hard, spinning herself up and around. One final kick slammed into Spitfire's temple for the second time, jolting her senses. She fell to the muddy ground, staining her coat and mane with the filth.

She shook her head to clear her daze, snapping her eyes toward the sky. A telltale streak of a darkened rainbow was just vanishing from sight, heading toward a group of distant mountains. A flash of lightning outlined the form of the fleeing pegasus for a moment. She held her bandaged hoof against the dark area of her body. Tears were falling, completely assimilated into the heavy rainfall.

Spitfire looked on, unwilling to continue the chase. Rainbow was too far away. She stood, gazing at the spot in the sky where the outline had been. Her anger boiled inside her, threatening to spill over.

"Spitfire!"

She turned her head. Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie had followed them out of the door. They gathered around the fire-maned pegasus, all looking worried.

Pinkie stepped forward. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Spitfire's rage blinded her for a moment. She swung around, hitting Pinkie with all her strength. Her hoof cut into the pony's cheek, sending droplets of blood flying.

Pinkie cried in pain, hitting the soaked grass. Tears stung her eyes, and she held the bleeding spot with one hoof. She didn't rise, reduced to grunts as the pain skewered her senses.

"Hey!" Applejack stepped forward. Spitfire did the same, bringing her hoof around for another punch. Applejack was quicker, blocking the hoof with her foreleg. "Stop that _right now!_" she shouted, barely containing her fury.

Spitfire paused. Her mane, wet and muddy, fell over her eyes like an overturned fire. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the blonde earth pony. Her eyes burned holes into Applejack's own, daring her to make a move.

"That's the last time you _ever_ lay a hoof on mah friends."

Spitfire grinned sadistically, laughing once.

"You wanna be angry with Rainbow Dash, you go right ahead," Applejack continued quietly. "Feel free to hate her as much as you want. But you do _not_ take out yer hatred on us. If you try to hurt us again, then even bein' a famous showpony won't stop me from coming after you."

Despite Spitfire's pride in her ability, the tone in the mare's voice made her believe her words. They stared for a moment longer, their tense silence broken by thunder, Pinkie's groans, and Twilight's words of concern over her.

After a moment, Spitfire turned her head away. She spat on the ground, walking past Applejack. She looked ahead, avoiding the gazes of the two other ponies as they watched her. She paused a few feet away, tilting her head slightly to speak.

"That friend of yours took everything from me. I'll never be able to forgive her for it."

She turned her head some more, finally locking gazes with the three mares. A genuine glint of despair shone behind her eyes, which she calmly buried beneath controlled rage. She held the gaze for a moment before lowering her head, and turning away once more.

"I have to go check on Soarin'," she murmured, walking away. She felt the stares of the three ponies behind her, but she didn't dare lock gazes again.

Applejack stood in the rain long after Twilight and Pinkie had returned to the care center. She stared at a horizon marred by rainclouds, unwilling to accept the new reality she had been forced in to. Her best friend had just run away because her life-long idols were utterly ruined. Applejack couldn't comprehend it. She didn't even consider it a nightmare. Such nightmares could never be _this_ bad, could they?

After an hour, she finally grew aware of her discomfort in the rain. She turned and walked back to the care center, feeling every drop along the way as a reminder that no rainbow would grace the sky tonight.

**End chapter three**

Author's comments: I had a LOT of fun writing out this one. This chapter has been playing in my mind for the last month, and it feels so good to finally let it out. Especially since the entire story is so huge, and this chapter is such a key part to the plotline.

Revision note: Document underwent minor revision to correct mistakes in wording, and to strengthen detail all around. Changes won't really be noticed unless you have this chapter memorized (like me), and that's a scary thought. New version saved 9.25.11.

Co-author's comments: Ahh~ It's so good to be back. What did I mis- Oh... Oh my... Dramatic, isn't it? I couldn't agree with you more. I actually didn't help out as much in this chapter due to my absence, but I have helped more on the second half. I also missed my time to speak for the last chapter, but that's okay. I know I did my fair share of work in that one too.

Spitfire's personality can be a hard nut to crack, considering how many lines she has in the show, matching with the events that have happened here. I'm assuming Aaron had her angry the whole time for two reasons: One, four teammates died, and two, her name has "Fire" in it. This included near the end of the chapter when Aaron couldn't decide whether Spitfire should have apologized to Pinkie when hitting her or not. Seeing how angry she's been in the whole chapter, I mentioned how a simple punch wouldn't be enough to remove that anger bottled up inside her that easily. I think the choice chosen was the right one.

Next chapter: Interlude one of three. The cast adapts to the absence of their friend over the years.


	4. Interlude: A World without Rainbows

**Rain without Rainbows**

Not your typical pony story, presented by two minds!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: What? What's that? You want to sue me because I'm claiming ownership over My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? _Hah_, that's a good one. I distinctly remember _not_ claiming ownership. Now put that lawsuit away; you look silly with it.

Welcome back to this growing epic of a tale. Recounting last chapter, Rainbow Dash was told exactly what occurred during her tryouts, and was informed of the deaths of four of her idols, the Wonderbolts. Unable to handle the strain, she fled.

This time around, we follow everypony as they deal with her absence in their own ways. This won't be a long chapter – rather, this is the first of three interludes. Shorter chapters that will serve as minor development points. (See also: filler.)

**Chapter four:** Interlude I: A World without Rainbows

A large funeral service was held in the capitol of Canterlot shortly after the incident. By personal invitation, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were allowed to attend. Spitfire was present as well, but Soarin' was forced to miss due to deep injuries that rendered him grounded. The service was heartbreaking, and nearly every pony attending had shed at least a few tears. Their favored Wonderbolts were ruined, and nopony had an answer to the question of "What happened".

Princess Celestia, using the invitations to her protégé as an opportunity, personally questioned Twilight and each of her friends in turn. Their recounts fell in line with Spitfire's memory of the event, who claimed that Rainbow Dash was ultimately at fault for the deaths of her teammates. Unable to defend their friend, Spitfire's accusation eventually became the publicly accepted truth. Twilight and her friends were devastated.

As far as the Princess could gather, the dark mass of energy had simply _appeared_ behind the wake trail of Rainbow Dash, as though summoned or released. There was no question that it was a magical energy; however, the properties it showed were clearly different than the magic that the Princess wielded.

Following the service and after returning to Ponyville, Twilight threw herself back into her studies, this time trying to unearth information on the type of magic she had seen that day. Every book she poured over hinted at different basic magic types, but provided no details on anything other than telekinesis, which she was already proficient in. Nothing she read gave any further information, and she eventually dropped the research as the weeks rolled into months.

A few short weeks after the incident, Scootaloo, tired of being ignored by her friends, demanded to be told the entire truth. It fell upon Rarity to tell the story, and – perhaps out of pity or mercy – she spared no detail in the telling. After learning that her hero was possibly to blame for the deaths of the Wonderbolts, Scootaloo was wracked with confusion. In her mind, Rainbow Dash was not capable of such evil…but Rarity had sounded so _sure_ of herself. She wasn't sure what to believe.

Applejack was hit the hardest with the absence of her friend. Now without a pony to challenge her, she was left more alone than she initially realized. The days she spent with Rainbow seemed so short and uninspiring, but the emptiness left behind caused sadness to eat at her mind. To keep the memory of her friend alive, Applejack attended and made first place in the subsequent Running of the Leaves event that arrived some months later. Internally, the blonde pony constantly questioned what happened, and wondered why Rainbow had left. Not once did she consider that Rainbow was actually at fault, though she was the only pony to voice as such.

The days without Rainbow Dash left a hole in everypony's life, whether or not they personally knew the mare. But eventually, inevitably perhaps, they moved on with their lives. As the weeks stretched into months, and finally into years, the incident was buried beneath newer gossip and smaller adventures. And the memory of the pegasus with the rainbow mane slowly drifted into shadow.

Four years pass. Ponyville moved on, and Canterlot with it. Time proved to bury the most important events beneath its unending current. Friends were made, adventures were had, and lives were changed on a daily basis, always for the better. Four long years of a harmony not entirely perfect.

* * *

><p>A soft wind blew through the thick trees of Everfree, raising dust and fallen leaves. Autumn loomed nearer, bringing with it promises of cooling days and earlier evenings. Telltale lines of white cloud were strewn about the afternoon sky, and the zooming figures of playing pegasi were barely seen in between each cloud.<p>

The edge of Everfree was quiet. The soft whisper of the wind through the boughs promised an uneventful night. But the dirt and mud told differently. A single set of hoof prints formed a trail, leading toward the side of an old tree. The shade cast by the mighty tree partially hid a single stallion, who viewed the nearby Ponyville with keen interest. His dark body blended well with the shadows of the forest, and even the white of his mane seemed to grow dull. His blood-red eyes stared, not blinking once.

It had been four years since his plan had first begun. Now, finally, was the time to put it to action. And to think, it all started with one pathetic little pegasus with a rainbow mane. This was all almost too easy.

A shadow wormed close to the stallion, floating up to head height. It seemed to look at the stallion, though clearly it had no eyes; it didn't have any kind of body at all. It was power – pure, segmented power, moving with a will of its' own. It glowed with a dark blue-black color, thin patterns dancing from edge to edge.

The stallion gazed at the shadow for a moment, then finally blinked just once. Without hesitating, the shadow began to snake out from the shade of the Everfree trees, seeping into the green grass as it headed for the town. A soft glow shone from the ground, barely discernable in the radiant sunlight. It moved without a sound, hidden in plain sight.

The stallion allowed himself a grin. Finally, it was time.

**End chapter four**

Author's comments: "Wait, what? Seriously? That's all we get for chapter four? The last three chapters were all five times longer than this, and more! What are you planning, Leoshi?"

…that's what you're thinking, right? Right? Well, rest easy. If you're reading this now, then it means that chapter five is not long in arriving. This chapter, again, is an interlude. It's meant to be short, and provide a deep development on a more minor story device. However, despite that, _this_ particular interlude is crucial to the story. So don't worry, you'll get chapter five soon.

Co-author's comments: Now, I know we haven't had a chapter up since like... August, but we've had a LOT happen with us over the past couple months pertaining to real life. Mainly on Aaron's end. WELL GOOD NEWS! We're back, black, and a lot skinnier... If that works for you.

Yes, yes... This chapter is small... That's what an interlude is. Small. Chapter five is, luckily, going to be released fairly soon. So soon, you'll blink and miss it.

Next chapter: The day's peace and serenity is torn apart as the arrival of a hostile power begins to assault Ponyville. It's a state of emergency that will have Twilight Sparkle and her friends reconsider the incident that occurred four years prior.


	5. Assault

**Rain without Rainbows**

The world of ponies is doomed to suffer the epic works of two bronies!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Do I own the rights to the show? Nope. Would I like to? Yep. Will I ever? Probably not. Can I still write stories based on the show? You bet your flank I can.

Welcome back to this tale of struggle and mystery. You're most likely here after speeding through chapter four, so you already know that a period of four years have passed since the tragedy at the tryouts with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts. You also saw a mysterious stallion on the edge of the Everfree Forest, gazing toward Ponyville with dark intents.

In which case, this chapter will be easy to jump in to. You'll witness the beginning of a series of events which will forever change the face of Equestria. And that beginning starts with a loose segment of power. Without further mumbo-jumbo, let's get galloping!

**Chapter five:** Assault

Fluttershy, as was routine, was spending her morning by tending to the animals she kept in and around her cottage. She gave each group special attention, bringing food to every ferret, rabbit, bird, and squirrel she sheltered. Even her pet Angel, growing in years, had accepted to eat breakfast wholly. It had taken years of patient prodding for Fluttershy to win him over, and she was none too relieved when he had finally come around.

However, this morning, something seemed amiss. The more she worked on bringing her animal friends their food, the more the animals themselves seemed to grow restless. A family of birds in the trees accepted their meal of worms, but immediately looked beyond the yellow pegasus. It was as though they were watching the distance, waiting for something to happen.

Their unease didn't go unnoticed. By the time she had brought Angel his carrot, he was sitting outside, simply staring down the path that led to the Everfree Forest. She shifted her gaze, bending her head low to speak.

"Angel?" she asked lightly. "What is it?"

The rabbit didn't make any attempt to respond. He simply sat, staring.

Finally, Fluttershy took stock of what was changing. Only minutes before, when she had gathered the food for her animal companions, the air was rich with their chatter and song. Now silence had befallen them, and the only animals that were not hiding were Fluttershy and her pet.

Angel tapped on the hoof of his owner, drawing her attention. He stood up and began to walk backwards, never taking his eyes off of the path. His fur was standing on end, and he wasn't blinking. She noticed his lip was beginning to curl.

She turned her eyes back to the path leading towards Everfree. A lead weight had fallen in her stomach – the drastic change in atmosphere was unsettling. "Is there something out there?"

As though to answer her question, a deep, resounding growl was heard. Fluttershy thought it came from her pet rabbit for a moment, but a quick glance told her differently. Angel was still moving backwards, unblinking, not making a sound. She looked up toward the trees, where flocks of birds were abandoning their roosts. Clearly they could not have made the growl. A pair of ferrets skirted by her, shortly followed by a group of rabbits. All of them were fleeing, running away from the path. None of them could have produced the sound.

Now frightened, the pegasus spread her wings and began walking away, prepared to fly if she had to. Like Angel, she glared down the path, half-expecting a dragon to come flying down toward her, spewing fire and destruction.

Another growl was heard, deeper and louder than the last. The presence it held caused every nerve in Fluttershy to shudder, and she fought every instinct to run – an instinct her animal neighbors were following with abandon. She ground her teeth, pausing for a moment.

She didn't notice a pale, blue-black glow snaking its' way along the side of the path. It veered and ran beneath her hooves.

A sudden flash of discomfort came over the pegasus, and an image of Ponyville appeared in her mind. She saw the town in all its' splendor – stone roads, thatched roofs, street-side carts, and everything in-between. But one marring detail made her gasp. In the vision, there wasn't a single pony in sight.

Eyes wide, Fluttershy turned her head to face the other way, toward her home of Ponyville. A sudden dread had overcome her, affecting her thoughts. No longer was her instinct telling her to run away; rather, it was telling her to warn her loved ones against something she didn't yet know.

She waited only one moment before taking off.

* * *

><p>The glowing segment of power moved forward with a purpose, slowing only to run beneath the hooves of other ponies as it had done with Kindness moments before. Each time, the contact made with them allowed it a brief moment to invade their minds. In each, it painted a picture of where it wanted them to be: Ponyville. Their haven of peace and courtesy, which – if all went well – would soon meet with panic and chaos.<p>

The image of their home created a sense of yearning, and every single pony encountered suddenly began running or took flight toward the town. None of them knew exactly what was causing them their desire to return home. All they knew was that they needed to return, and nothing more.

Once it reached the edge of the tranquil town, it halted and waited. There, just beyond a pair of shops, stood Generosity and a young, violet dragonling. Both were asking aloud why a sudden group of ponies had come running into town in a frenetic haste.

Rarity, the bearer of Generosity, barely avoided being plowed over by another pair of young equines entering the town. A small cloud of dirt rose and stuck to her mane, causing her to take an involuntary step backward. She groaned. "Oh, yuck. I just had this styled..."

"Rarity, what's going on?" Spike asked, standing next to her to avoid being trampled. "Is something wrong?"

"I should say so!" she replied, still gawking at the lines of dust marring her hair. "These ponies really _must_ learn to step carefully around a lady!"

"That's not what I meant," the dragon deadpanned, walking down the path where the miniature stampede had just arrived from. "What I mean is, why was everypony running in to town? None of them even stopped to say hello."

Rarity turned away from the path, calling on her magic to lift the filth away from her mane. Her horn began to ripple with waves of magic, soon spreading to engulf her hair. The waves pulled away, bringing with them a small pile of dirt and dust. The unicorn's mane was instantly restored to its' styled luster, and she carefully spread the pile along the side of the road to avoid it being kicked up again.

"Well, I imagine they lost track of time, and are running late for a certain engagement. I'm certain they all will-"

Rarity was cut off by another, larger cloud of dirt blowing on top of her, this time ruining her coat and tail. She coughed and sputtered, spitting to clear the dirt away from her tongue (she made sure to turn her head away so Spike wouldn't see the unladylike action). Once she could no longer taste the grains, she began to fume. "Oh, come now! What is the meaning of this?"

"Rarity, Spike! Thank goodness I found you two - are you both okay?"

The white unicorn turned her head back, her anger dissolving when she saw Fluttershy. Instantly, Rarity understood: Fluttershy had made a quick landing, and raised the cloud of dust by using her wings. What's more, she hadn't drawn in her wings yet, and even looked ready to leap up and take flight again at a moment's notice. There was a tinge of panic and worry behind her eyes.

"Fluttershy?" Spike began, taken by surprise. "We're okay, yeah. Why, what's wrong?"

"Yes, dear, you seem to be quite rushed. Whatever is the matter?" Rarity chimed in, using her magic to siphon the dirt from her coat and tail as she had done with her mane. "Do you have some form of engagement as well?"

"What? No, no, listen, we should get inside Ponyville as quickly as we can."

For the second time in as many minutes, Spike deadpanned. "We're sort of already _in_ Ponyville, Fluttershy-"

"There's no time for jokes!"

Spike blinked. _'Did Fluttershy just interrupt me? She's _never_ done that...'_

"Fluttershy?" Rarity began, stepping forward. "What's wrong?"

Before the pegasus could answer, a familiar sound was heard - the same resounding growl that she heard twice before near her cottage. The noise caused the dragon and both ponies to snap their heads around, facing the path that lead away from Ponyville.

As the growl's sound died away, Fluttershy whimpered. "That's what's wrong."

Rarity looked at her friend, forgetting any concerns over dirt and grime. Feeling cautious, the unicorn began to step forward down the path. Her horn began to glow, waves of power just beginning to form.

At the presence of the unicorn's magic, the shadow, which had been biding its' time, leapt up from the ground, a blue-black orb forming as it gathered itself. The creatures before it screamed in shock at the sudden appearance. The shadow continued to shift, pulsing with energy.

Rarity's breath caught in her throat. Several things about the dark projection struck her as odd. The pulsing, the dancing patterns, the glow of electric blue - she had seen this before, four years ago.

"Rarity..." Fluttershy began, trying to hide behind her mane.

"I know," she replied. Without thinking, Rarity fed more power into her horn - and saw the dark mass increase in size in response. She grimaced. "Spike!"

The young dragonling jumped at the noise. He had been transfixed by the sight of the orb. "Wh-what?"

"Run and get Twilight. Hurry!"

"But-"

"Go!" she shouted. "Now!"

Spike gazed at his two friends, spared one look at the bulbous mass, and took off at a run. "Twiiiilight!" he called, though he knew she couldn't hear him.

As the sound of his footsteps died away, Rarity spoke out the side of her mouth. "You should go too, Fluttershy."

The pegasus opened her mouth to argue, but the mass before them buzzed violently. A sound came out, vibrating like a disfigured music box.

"_I'm not going to leave you here._"

Fluttershy gasped, staring in disbelief. "That's wh-"

"_That's what I was going to say!_"

She took a step back, mortified. _'How does it know what I'm about to say?'_

The mass shook harder, like it were suppressing laughter. It wasted no time revealing her thoughts. "_How does it know what I'm about to say?_"

Fluttershy screamed, and the orb immediately echoed the scream. Rarity stepped forward again. "What are you?" she demanded, her voice overtaking the cry of her friend behind her.

In response, the orb shot out a thin line of power, the thickness of a strand of hair, wrapping it around Rarity's horn. The action was so sudden, she didn't have time to pull away, and by the time she jerked her head and broke off her magic, the strand had been recalled into the mass. It grew larger, and spoke again.

"_What are you?_"

The unicorn glared, baring her teeth. "I will not be-"

"_I will not be mocked! Answer me!_"

Rarity, losing herself to anger, called upon her magic again. She focused on the center of the mass, narrowed her eyes, and loosed off a lance of her own power. It hummed for a moment as it flew through the air, closing the gap between the pony and the orb in half a second. The magic contacted the dark mass, sinking into it. The orb was pushed backward by the attack, and its' vibrations halted as it shrank a little. The glow it gave off dulled bit by bit, and the thin white patterns that danced across it vanished.

The unicorn allowed herself a satisfied grin. She angled her head down, never taking her eyes off of the orb. "Fluttershy," she began, "please go somewhere safe. I don't want you getting hurt in case-"

"_-in case things go wrong._"

With a flash of light, the orb recovered - glowing brighter, patterns dancing faster, size growing to larger than it had been before. It rippled, gathering power, the patterns forming two small circles on the surface of the orb. The circles flashed once more, blinding the two ponies in front of it. Both friends closed their eyes against the harsh light.

Suddenly, it seemed like two cannons had been fired, one on each side of the unicorn and pegasus. Two resonating _bangs_ blasted their ears, and the sounds of crashing bricks filled the air around them.

Rarity opened her eyes, gasped, and tasted dust. She blinked in shock, taking in the scene in front of her. The closest walls of both shops had been blown away, littering the road with their regurgitated bricks and mortar. A cloud of obliterated brick dust floated down and coated the road with an assortment of reds and browns. Gaping holes were left where the walls once were, giving a clear view to the inside of each store - the clerks inside were devastated at the destruction, both at a loss for words.

The orb withdrew its' two dark tendrils of power, the arms that had brought about the collapse of the walls. It vibrated, again as though barely containing laughter.

Rarity took two steps back, feeling fear eat at her instincts. The dancing patterns had begun to form two circles again, this time facing forward, aiming at the unicorn and the pegasus before it.

* * *

><p>"And then out of nowhere, this giant black ball just appeared from the ground! Rarity told me to run and get you, but she wouldn't say why!"<p>

Spike had found his caretaker, Twilight Sparkle, in the library as usual. After hearing that her friends were "in an emergency", she wasted no time in placing him on her back and running toward the road that Spike directed her to. He had been telling the story, however short it was, along the way.

As they rounded a fountain, they heard the sound of twin explosions, soon followed by what seemed to be a cascade of stones. Fearing the worst, Twilight pushed herself harder, desperate to reach the shop's side in time.

"There's Fluttershy!" Twilight declared, noticing a small tuft of pink tail peeking around the corner of the shop. She called out. "Fluttershy! Rarity! Please be okay!"

Twilight slid the final few feet, whipping her body around to face the road. In a split second, her eyes drank in the scene. Piles of fallen bricks had blocked the road, and her two friends were facing a glowing black orb that was floating a foot above the ground. The orb itself was gathering power, and Twilight noticed two circular patterns facing forward. The violet unicorn ground her teeth and jumped.

The dark mass flashed once more, firing another two bolts of power at the ponies in front of it. The attacks sped forward, inches away from their targets, when a sudden white field of magic shot forth to intercept the black bolts. The attacks fizzled, pushed against the radiant field, then winked out of existence. The field continued to move forward, contacting the glowing orb and pushing it back. The dark mass shook harder than ever, but not as though to hold in laughter; now it struggled against the white projection, determined to outlast it.

Rarity and Fluttershy blinked, surprised, before turning their heads inward. There stood Twilight, head down, eyes narrow, her horn glowing a pure white as it fed the field that has saved them from the bolts. "Twilight!" they exclaimed in unison, both happy and shocked to see her. She grunted, focusing too hard to reply.

The glowing orb gathered itself once again, releasing a flash of blue-black energy of its' own. It crawled along the surface of the white field, disabling it. Gaping holes in the field grew as the energy was cancelled entirely. After a moment, when Twilight realized she was pouring power into nothing, she released the spell and resorted to glaring at the orb, wary of any counterattack.

"Spike," she ordered, stepping between her two friends. "Send an emergency letter to the Princess. Tell her what's happening, and that we need any help she can spare as soon as possible."

"Twilight-" Rarity began, but her friend waved her off.

"I know," she murmured, much in the same way as Rarity had spoken to Fluttershy moments before.

Spike spared one last look toward his friend and caretaker, silently wishing her luck. He ran into the nearby stationary shop (still torn open by the orb's attack), frantically hunting for a scroll and a very certain ribbon.

* * *

><p>A thin trail of smoke wafted down before the eyes of one very regal alicorn, who was busying herself with a small set of books her sister had brought upon request. Princess Celestia watched the smoke as it circled before her, turning faster and taking on a green hue. It was a sight she was all too familiar with - her prized student would often send scrolls to her in this manner.<p>

The sun princess calmly marked her place in the spellbook she had been reading, and turned her own magic to envelop the scroll that had been formed from the smoke. She smiled, wondering inwardly what Twilight Sparkle would wish to relay so early in the afternoon. With a flash, the scroll materialized and settled into the cocoon of magic the princess had woven. As she gazed at the scroll, her smile froze and her eyes narrowed.

Normally, messages sent to her were wrapped in a red ribbon, signifying a standard message. This scroll had a line of black tying it together. A black ribbon could only mean an emergency had happened.

Without waiting a single moment, she pulled the ribbon loose and unfurled the scroll. She held her breath as she read the hastily scrawled message. The message was short and concise, yet she felt a chill as she reached the end.

Nearby, the moon regent Luna was looking on. She had noticed the smoke as well, but was too far away to read the message it contained. However, the silence of her sister had caught her attention. She called out. "Sister? Is something wrong?"

But Celestia wasn't listening. She had placed the scroll haphazardly on the table she had been reading on, and stepped away in a hurry. Celestia moved to a nearby doorway, opened it with a small nudge of magic, and issued a quick order to the guard standing outside.

"Rally the unicorn guard and have them deploy immediately to Ponyville. And call my personal chariot, and have it harnessed to the fastest pegasi we have."

Her words echoed in the room, causing Luna's ears to perk up. She rose from her spot on the table, now anxious to see what was causing her sister such worry. Eyeing the scroll that had just arrived, she trotted around the reading table and grasped it with her own magic. She held it in front of her, reading each word. Unlike her sister, Luna's breathing quickened rather than becoming still.

"Luna..."

The moon princess looked up. Celestia had walked to her side, eyes full of determination and something resembling worry. Luna met her gaze with the same feeling.

"A dark energy is attacking Ponyville? One that strikes with black lightning?"

Celestia nodded. "Just as you conjectured."

Luna didn't hesitate. She dropped the scroll, rushing to a nearby balcony. She turned her head in the warm afternoon air, gazing in the direction of Ponyville. Though the town was far away from the capitol of Canterlot, Luna closed her eyes and probed the surrounding energies, searching for anything that was out of place. Her blue horn was completely hidden beneath the corona of magic she raised.

She felt it. There. Just on the edge of the small town, there was a presence. Active, snide, yet fearful. Luna sensed power radiating from the presence, but nothing more - she would have to get closer to understand what it was. If, in fact, it could be understood at all.

Luna opened her eyes, gazing down to the castle courtyard. Pairs of unicorn guards were piling into chariots, which were taking off with a struggle. Nopony had expected the order to deploy, and certainly didn't understand the severity of it, so the urgency the pegasus fliers were showing wasn't nearly enough.

Lune turned her head, fixing her gaze with her sister's. "I'm going."

Celestia had been expecting this. She stepped forward. "Luna, wait-"

"There's something attacking Ponyville, and the guards are not going to be able to reach it quickly. I can get there on my own," Luna assured, spreading her wings to their full span. "You should follow and direct the guard."

The tone in her sister's voice gave Celestia pause. She gazed at Luna, noting the way she stood like a sentinel. She sighed - as much as she didn't like it, she had to agree. "Very well. Hurry."

The moon princess flashed a wry grin, something she only let her sister enjoy. "Relax, we both know I've handled worse."

Celestia watched her fly. While Luna was certainly not as powerful as she, and her experience as Nightmare Moon had left her even weaker, her flying speed was always amazing. A talent as an alicorn that Celestia didn't have the luxury of sharing - as ruler, she had to remain seen and heard. So it was up to Luna to arrive in Ponyville first and render aid.

Celestia only hoped it would be soon enough.

* * *

><p>The magic of Twilight and Rarity was not enough. The dark orb had continued to attack relentlessly, forcing them into the streets of their town. All around them, mares and stallions had begun fleeing for cover as the orb fired off lesser bolts of energy. Several street-side carts, two house windows, and one light post had been hit already, all of which were heavily damaged. Fluttershy had grabbed Spike and flew off for shelter, calling out warnings as she went.<p>

The two unicorns continued to fight against the orb, but they knew it was not going to work for long. For every new spell Twilight cast on it, it would only pause for a moment before redoubling its offensive - and each time, it would grow a little larger. Rarity threw her ladylike constitution to the wind, shouting out her frustrations.

"This is just ludicrous! It's almost like this thing is absorbing our spells!"

"That's not possible!" Twilight called back, spreading a thick wave of magic in front of them. The glowing mass was forced to stop, the patterns vanishing as the wave passed over it. "Magic can't be taken away once it's cast! It's one of the basic fundamentals of telekinesis!"

"Then how do you explain _that_?" Rarity shouted. The dark orb has begun to move again, the patterns on its surface dancing frantically. Once again, the entire mass had grown a little larger.

"I don't know! Just- ahh!"

The orb lunged forward several feet, stopping just short of Twilight. She fell over in surprise, landing with a grunt. The second her concentration was broken was all the mass needed – it spread a field of dark energy around her, capturing her in an electric-blue hold. She cried out in shock, only to have the sound muffled. Her horn flared desperately, but the dark field snuffed out the energy before it amounted to anything.

"Twilight!" Rarity cried, rushing forward with her horn aglow. She poured her mounting anger into her magic, shaping it into an azure streak. It shot forward, aiming for the center of the dark mass.

The orb shifted and fired off a similar streak of power that met Rarity's own, never once breaking the dark cocoon that held Twilight prisoner. Both lances stopped cold, their matched power cackling and sending ethereal sparks flying. The white unicorn was forced to stop, empowering her magic further in an attempt to gain ground. She closed her eyes and grimaced – her energy was almost drained, and she would likely collapse from the strain very soon.

Twilight's eyes widened as the orb shifted once more. The dark field that held her against the ground began to flicker with thin white lines, first just a few, then dozens, each one dancing faster that the last. The lines nicked at her coat, her mane, her horn, every part of her. With each contact, a brief but sharp pain lanced through her, accompanied by a growing sense of dread. Twilight began to hyperventilate. She was scared now. Honestly scared.

The dancing lines burst. Flashes of color began to flicker before her eyes, far too quickly for her to register them. Blues, greens, whites, yellows, blacks, reds…they all swirled toward the center of her vision before taking shape. She saw the waving of several manes, the synchronized beating of a set of wings, the darkness of a harmless line of dark clouds, and the radiance of an unfettered sun. Twilight focused, and saw that the owners of the beating wings were in simple flight suit uniforms, save one who was gifted with a mane and tail of many colors.

She gasped, momentarily forgetting to struggle. Hadn't she seen this before?

The colors shifted, dancing in a whirlwind of thought, until at last they took shape again. The uniformed fliers from before had been attacked. Four of those pegasi had been captured in similar fields that held Twilight still. The two farthest were knocked away, too far out of reach to capture. The four pegasi who had been caught struggled violently against the magical grip, but only for a few brief seconds before they jolted, opened their mouths in what would pass for a scream, and became still.

Once more, the colors shifted, this time taking form in a rain-soaked memorial service held in Canterlot. Four adorned gravestones stood out like a pox against healthy grass, each one engraved with the bolt-and-wings emblem of the Wonderbolts. Each one built solid and made to withstand the elements. Each one fresh and new and utterly horrifying.

A cold feeling of finality settled into Twilight's stomach. She knew exactly where she had seen this dark orb before. She knew exactly what it was doing to her. And she knew exactly what would happen.

She shut her eyes against the colors as they shifted again. Her magic moved unhindered, desperately flaring, no longer trying to fight, only to flee. As her inner reserves were spent, she knew, simply _knew_, there was no escape. The glowing cocoon had cut off her supply of air, and the magic cast upon her was drilling into her mind, shutting her down quickly and effectively.

Twilight knew what would happen. Soon, she would grow weak, far too weak to struggle. Her mind would lapse into blackness, and then all of her defenses would fade away. Ultimately, her death would be painless, because she would be unconscious before she departed. But the moments leading up to that unconsciousness were to be excruciating.

A surge from the lines forced her head against the ground, and she lacked the strength – or will – to lift it again. Her horn flares grew weak and sporadic, amounting to little more than residual sparks which were quickly lost to the field. A heavy presence fell upon her eyes, and she suddenly wanted to rest. Her head was swimming and her senses began to fail. She even heard telltale clattering and a dull droning, felt a shifting of pressure along her midriff, tasted a cool rush of air...

Twilight's eyes flickered open, a last ounce of curiosity feeding the action. Bright sunlight bathed her body, and fresh air filled her lungs, strengthening her body with every breath. The feelings of pain were quickly dimming as Twilight blinked again and again, trying to discern what had happened. Her vision sharpened alongside a booming voice in front of her.

"YOU SHALL DO NO HARM TO ANYPONY ELSE!"

Surprisingly, Twilight had one last ounce of shock to help her lift her head and focus. "I know that voice…"

Rarity, having retained just enough strength to stay upright, trotted to her friend's side, bending low to help her stand. Once on all fours again, Twilight watched in stunned awe as a familiar blue-coated alicorn took charge.

Princess Luna's eyes glowed with a brilliant white, filled with power and intense focus. Her horn was a solid spike of power which fed a wide, lustrous blue corona of magic. Beneath the magic, barely seen beneath the darkened hue, was the assaulting orb. It was struggling against the sudden onslaught, failing miserably beneath the years of experience and technique the moon regent wielded.

Twilight and Rarity stood transfixed, both wanting to say something, neither sure of what to say. The princess made no sound, but her very _aura_ was deafening. Twilight has only seen power like this once, during the Summer Sun Celebration in Canterlot – but that had been Celestia's power. She had never seen Luna use this much before; she had never had an opportunity to.

The two unicorns began to step forward, and Twilight opened her mouth to speak. But no words issued forth, because at that moment, many things happened at once.

The first was a series of chariots began landing in Ponyville's town square, each one unloading teams of various royal guards. The earth guards immediately went about setting up a perimeter and assisting ponies who were dumbstruck. The pegasi who pulled the chariots unhitched themselves and began surveying the town. The unicorns, however, lined near Luna, feeding their own magical energy into the projection she was using to keep the orb down.

Second, a sullen growl began to sound, seemingly from everywhere. The growl wasn't loud, but it reverberated off of shops, carts, and the roads. The ponies nearest the suppressed orb felt a sudden rush of apprehension. Twilight and Rarity both involuntarily winced at the presence the growl held, like it were some physical piece of revulsion.

Third, a bright glow began to shine from beneath Luna's shield magic. The light flashed with desperate bolts of black lightning as the orb radiated power, but no bolt managed to break through the princess' field.

Finally, and doubtless the most sudden, Princess Celestia had appeared at Twilight's side. The student didn't notice her teacher at first, so transfixed was she at the display of power Luna was showing. It wasn't until Celestia draped a wing over the purple unicorn that the latter took notice. She turned her head around to face her mentor, and gave a small gasp. "Princess!"

Celestia leaned down, not saying a word. Twilight instantly grew anxious in spite of her relief at the aid she and her friends had received from Canterlot. Something in her teacher's eyes made Twilight want to slink away. Celestia's gaze was fierce, as fierce as it had been when she had questioned the unicorn four years prior. It was a gaze that shot through Twilight's mind, probing her for anything that might be hidden. Her horn glowed a brilliant gold as she bore deeper and deeper, searching for anything that shouldn't be there.

"Princess…please…" Twilight pleaded.

Celestia blinked. She withdrew her magic, lifted her head a bit, and took a long hard look at her student. In her haste to search her student's consciousness, she hadn't bothered to take stock of Twilight's condition. Her mane was a tangled mess, her head was slick with sweat, her legs were barely holding her weight, and there were shadows under her eyes. Even her head was lowered due to her fatigue.

The sun regent nodded grimly. Now wasn't the time.

"Princess Celestia, what are-" Twilight began, but she was cut off as Celestia turned and took a few steps toward her sister. She followed her mentor with her eyes, both relieved and scared at all that was happening.

"Luna," Celestia spoke in a tone of finality. "Stop your spell."

Twilight and Rarity stood sunned for a moment, both feeling certain that the princess has misspoken. But when Luna released her magic and her eyes returned to normal, they both began to protest.

"Wait, Princess!"

"What are you doing?"

"That thing will just come back at me!"

"It's too dangerous to let go!"

"We shouldn't just release it!"

"It will surely continue to attack!"

Celestia held up one hoof for silence, which both unicorns obeyed. "Don't misunderstand, young ones – I have no intention of letting this dark magic roam free."

Twilight blinked, turning her head to look at the orb. '_Dark magic…?'_

The group of Canterlot unicorn guards were keeping it still with their own magic, and were doing so with little struggle. The orb itself was glowing and flashing still, the bolts firing off and disappearing against the solid blanket of magic that held it down. Dancing lines began to eat at the magic, tearing small holes in the field – the guards quickly added more power to compensate.

"What is it doing?" she asked, a little anxious of what the answer would be.

"It's absorbing some of the magic that's holding it down," Luna explained, walking forward. She spoke with a sharp determination, the sharpness of fact. "We have to stay just one step above its' own power in order to keep it down and controlled."

Both unicorns gawked. "A-_absorbing_?" Twilight started. "Bu-but that's not possible! One of the fundamental laws of telekinesis magic says-"

"This isn't telekinesis, Twilight Sparkle."

The tone Luna held instantly silenced Twilight's argument. The lavender unicorn looked from one princess to the next, her expression one of defeat and confusion. "What's going on?" she finally managed to ask.

The two regal sisters exchanged a quick glance, one that spoke volumes between the two. Luna turned, spotting Ponyville's library in the distance.

"I think it's time you all are told what is happening," she said. "Can you find your friends and meet us in the library as soon as possible?"

Twilight and Rarity had no words to say. As Luna departed for the library, they stood in tense silence, unable to make any sense of the controlled chaos around them. Canterlot soldiers galloped and barked orders to one another, just above the reverberating growl that seemed never-ending. The two friends turned to look at each other, their confusion apparent in their gazes. They both were thinking the same question, with neither needing to speak.

What was happening to their home?

**End chapter five**

Author's comments: Whew, it's good to be back. I must say, back when I was writing this, I was seriously _hating_ how it was turning out. The entire writing was just awful – I restarted the entire chapter twice over before going with the Fluttershy intro. And then came the fun of writing out bad scenes, removing them, writing worse scenes, removing those, fighting writer's block, fighting a traffic ticket, and then FINALLY writing what you just read. At last, the chapter turned into something I'm happy with.

Fun fact: Snips and Snails were originally due to make an appearance in this chapter. But since their usefulness was not going to expand into later chapters, they were cut out entirely.

I hope I didn't piss off any Twilight Sparkle fans with this one. For what it's worth, her scene houses some of the best writing I've done since my Golden Sun days.

Co-author's comments: I don't know how I feel about this chapter. A lot has changed, but personally I think the end result turned out better than the rest. I honestly don't know how long it took for us to decide on an intro for the chapter, but I'm glad we found something so that we could continue with the story.

Next chapter: Twilight, her friends, and the two princesses discuss what they believe is happening to their town and their world. Whether they're ready for it or not, they must do what they can to stop the dark magic - but they'll need to form a plan.


	6. A Dark Tree

**Rain without Rainbows**

Friendship is witchcraft! Witchcraft is bronies! Bronies are authors!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Don't bother asking. You think _I'm_ capable of creating the phenomenon known as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? No, nope, nuh-uh, no way. You can thank Hasbro, the Hub, Studio B, and Lauren Faust for that. I sure will.

Well everyone, welcome back. I'm still very surprised and honored at how well this story is being taken. The idea that spawned it was very small, and I'm extremely happy with the following it has gathered, regardless of the size. So thank you. Thank you all.

Anyway, enough blubbering. I sure hope you've all read chapter five of this story, because it was pretty much crucial to the adventure that's coming around. To recap, a floating blue-black sphere of dark magic arrived in Ponyville and began attacking Twilight and Rarity, who just barely managed to hold out before help arrived in the form of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and the Canterlot royal guard.

With that in mind, here's what you can expect in this chapter. The two princesses hold a conference with Twilight and her friends, where several truths and a plan of action are laid bare. They all learn that time is of the essence if they want to beat back the magic. But to do so, they will need one very specific pony to aid them.

ACT I- _The Paragons_**  
>Chapter six:<strong> A Dark Tree

There were times when Celestia wished she could simply lower the sun in order to match her mood. Today had taken a turn for the worse, yet the sun still beat down a gentle wave of warmth and life that sharply contrasted how she felt. Not that she was outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun – she was inside the Ponyville library, looking out from the loft's window upon the town below her. The sight ate at her insides.

Where various ponies should have been enjoying the afternoon, the town square was now swarming with mares and stallions who all wore lustrous gold armor. Those with magic were focusing on a large manifested wave, which was shifting and jumping from the dark mass contained within. Those who could fly were circling the town, locating townsponies and giving them orders. Those with neither magic nor wings were organizing the residents for an evacuation to Canterlot, an evacuation Celestia wished she had never had to order.

The princess wasn't altogether scared. She was anxious, yes, but not scared. The fact that Luna had arrived when she did had saved at least one pony's life – and if that same pony and her friend hadn't been available to help, it was likely other lives would have been put in danger. The fact that the residents of Ponyville were all safe was a huge relief to Celestia. But still her anxiety remained.

"Sister?"

Celestia tilted her head, casting one eye on Luna, who had scaled the steps behind her. The younger alicorn stood with one hoof on the landing, ready to trot down the steps once more.

"Twilight Sparkle says she's recovered enough to talk. She and her friends await us below," Luna informed.

Celestia stood silent, gazing at her beloved sister for a moment. Her anxiety was spawning a multitude of thoughts, most of which were ridiculous. She thought of the last time she had to combat dark magic. She thought of what weapons she had to wield, and what it took to finally vanquish her enemy. She thought of what had happened to her sister as a result, and the torment it had caused them both.

She never wanted to have to deal with it again. But now something new had arrived, something that wasted no time in harming her subjects. It had even come close to killing her protégé. That fact alone made her both fear and respect the magic that was now being held down. And now that Luna stood near her, she was reminded of her words from mere hours ago.

"_Relax, we both know I've handled worse,"_ Luna had said. The thought worried Celestia. This magic was prepared to kill…didn't that make it worse than anything before?

Luna took another step forward, placing a second hoof on the loft landing. Her sister's silence was making her worry. "Tia?"

Hearing her name broke Celestia out of her thoughts. She withdrew the worry on her face, adopting the guise of Ruler of Equestria again. At least this way, she wouldn't pass on her anxiety to others.

"Very good," she said, turning to face her younger sister. Shadows danced across the loft as her body moved in front of the window. "Let's go down and face their questions."

Luna nodded and turned. The sound of her descending hoofsteps reached Celestia's ears. It was a small comfort – it was proof that Luna was there.

* * *

><p>Twilight Sparkle, the pony who had nearly been killed by the dark orb, rested on her stomach with her eyes closed. She breathed steadily, happy to have finally convinced her worried friends that she was, indeed, all right. Even though she was still wrapping her mind around it (occasionally, she thought she could feel a bite at her coat as though the dancing white lines were digging in to her) and felt very tired, she knew she would be perfectly fine.<p>

None of that mattered to Spike, who had not left her side for a moment after they met in the library. He leaned his back against her side, both as a way to relax his panicked nerves and as an assurance that she was still with him.

Rarity and Fluttershy had quickly found Applejack and Pinkie Pie. In the years spent since the tragedy with the Wonderbolts, both ponies had had their share of changes. Applejack's competitive spirit, while not gone, had dwindled significantly. Lately she didn't bother to push her sales as hard as usual, choosing instead to be more direct with her business. It had been the same thing every year as the Autumn season approached, because with it came the annual Running of the Leaves – and with _that_ came memories of her long-lost friend.

Pinkie, however, had changed drastically. After the harrowing experience with the Wonderbolts (and their captain, Spitfire), the pink party pony had become more reserved. She would still host parties and events for her friends; however, they would often have much less effort put in to them. While Pinkie was still keen on having fun and cracking a joke, she often didn't go looking for it anymore.

The group either sat or stood, silent as they waited. Luna had gone up to the loft to find her sister, and she was taking longer than any of them expected. After several moments spent in the same silence, the sharp clops of hoof-on-stair floated down to them. There were two sets.

Twilight opened her eyes at the sound. Everypony lifted their gaze toward the stairs, watching as both princess descended to their level. Luna arrived first, casting a worried glance around the group. For a reason she couldn't yet explain, the group of friends seemed odd…not strange or corrupt or anything, but simply odd. Celestia followed, who did more than simply look – she immediately went to Twilight's side.

"How are you feeling, my student?" she asked softly.

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm good, I guess. Tired, mostly, but good."

"And your magic?"

"It's still coming back to me," the purple unicorn explained. "If I had to guess, I think I'll be back to normal later tonight."

Celestia smiled, more relieved than she dared to show. She turned to Luna, who nodded without needing to be asked anything. The moon princess stepped forward, gaining the attention of everypony and the dragonling.

"Twilight Sparkle," she addressed, "and all of you here. I wish there were an easy way to explain all of this, but there isn't. I'll try my best to answer all of your questions after I-"

Applejack, who had stopped listening after hearing 'answer,' stepped forward. "Just what the hay is goin' on, Princess?"

Luna turned to the farm pony. "I'll explain everything I can in time, but you need to-"

"'In time?' Sorry, but that ain't good enough fer me. Ah was back at mah farm, gatherin' apples fer the harvest, when Rarity runs up an' tells me Twi was almost _killed_! Ah reckon that deserves an answer sooner instead o' later!"

There was a mattering of agreement from Pinkie and Fluttershy as this was said. Luna's gaze hardened; she couldn't help but feel a little affronted by the forwardness that Applejack had displayed.

"Very well," she said. "An answer to your question. What is going on here, Applejack, is a sudden and relentless attack against this town and its inhabitants by a rogue segment of dark magic, which, among other powers, has the ability to absorb spells cast upon it."

Needless to say, the answer given spawned many more questions. "An' just what does all _that_ mumbo-jumbo mean?"

"That's what I wish to explain, Applejack," Luna replied. A hint of smugness showed through in her tone. "May I?"

Applejack sat down and kept her comments to herself.

"Thank you."

Luna looked at Celestia, who gazed back with a hardened look. She nodded once more, silently prompting her sister to carry on.

"Here's what I believe," she began. Calling upon her magic, Luna drew an apparition in the air, which took the likeness of the orb they all were so familiar with. Twilight visibly cringed. "This dark magic, for whatever reason, is attacking the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony - you five - with an intent to do as much as kill. I don't yet know why or who is behind this."

"Kill?" Fluttershy echoed, the color draining from her face. "Somepony wants to...kill us?"

"I don't think so, not quite. We've seen the power it holds when it blew apart those shop walls. That force alone would easily fatally injure a normal pony. Yet, when it held down Twilight Sparkle earlier, it was taking its time - it chose not to attack with the same force as before." The apparition shifted, imitating the corona of magic that had held the lavender unicorn down only hours ago. "This makes me believe that it doesn't want you all dead, at least not yet."

The room was silent for a moment as everypony watched the glowing projection. After the moment passed, Applejack spoke up again.

"Okay, okay...so somepony wants us outta the way. But why would they use magic to attack us? An' just what are they after, anyhow?"

"It's possible," Luna continued, calling back her magic - the apparition vanished with a wink, "that this magic isn't being controlled by anypony at all. It's far more likely that this magic is rogue, wandering around the world with nopony actually influencing it."

"But how can that be possible?" Rarity asked, stepping forward. "I might not be as talented in magic, but I certainly know that it doesn't just _wander_ without direction. How can there be nopony responsible for it?"

"Oh, there's probably somepony responsible. But that doesn't mean that pony is in control."

"What?"

Luna called on her magic again, forming another projection of a ghostly silhouette of a unicorn. It stood still as a statue. The pony's horn was long, an indicator of how skilled it was with magic.

"As you are no doubt aware, our magic allows us to take control of material things, like lifting books or moving food. This is our power of telekinesis, where we can affect the physical. Telekinesis allows us to make things that we choose to happen, happen."

Twilight had a moment of nostalgia as she recalled one of her early soap-box moments. She had said the same thing to her friend Pinkie many years ago.

"However," Luna pressed on, "what do you suppose happens whenever a pony has too much power? More than what she can control?"

Her projection shifted. The silhouette seemed to leap into the air, magical lines pouring out from it. The pony was clearly struggling with the magic, fighting a losing battle for control.

"Even though the magic can still be directed, it's still far too much for the pony to handle. The magic can be directed, but not commanded - it will cast spells that the pony never intends."

The pony moved once more. A corona of magic burst from its horn, and waves of magic swept around it. Miniature bursts of magical reactions were seen. Twilight had a flash of memory from when she had to endure an experience like that - her parents had been turned into plants. It was not a pleasant experience, they had told her.

"Over time, the magic will eventually stabilize, and the spells that were cast will wear off. In theory, these periods of magical instability only occur when a unicorn is scared, empowered, or goes through a sudden stimulus related to startling her. But what would happen if the pony were removed from the equation?"

Luna's projection changed. The ghostly form of the pony vanished, leaving behind the unstable field of magic. It pulsed with power, slowly growing in size. Even the color grew denser, turning to a shade of gray that resembled the dark orb that they all knew so well.

"Now the magic is both unstable _and _without direction. It's similar to running water - just as loose water flows down the path of least resistance, this rogue magic wanders toward centers of magical activity, drawn like a magnet without anypony directing it."

The group of friends watched as Luna's projection shifted, the ghostly magic moving down a manifested trail toward a small village. Twilight stared with keen interest before raising her question.

"Princess Luna?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not entirely sure how it would be possible to remove a pony from her own magic. Telekinesis is a magic that can affect the physical world, yes - but telekinesis itself is not actually physical. Once the pony casting the magic is removed from it, the magic should cease to exist, shouldn't it?"

There was silence as everypony considered this. Luna could feel the air of agreement that the others were having - they felt that Twilight's argument held merit. And she had to admit, it was a good counter-point.

"Very good question, Twilight Sparkle. Which will lead into my next point, where things will no doubt become more complicated," she replied. Luna changed her magic once more, playing the projection in reverse. The images shifted from the flashing orb to the expanding corona of magic, where the figure of the unicorn faded in. The magic died down, and the silhouette of the unicorn was left alone once more.

"What I've told you is hinging on the assumption that the magic is just that - magic, with no derived spell to be cast or task to be done. It's no more than a unicorn calling upon her magic, but she hasn't yet decided what to do with it."

The ghostly image of the unicorn shifted its head from one side to the other, as though lost in thought.

"But let's take it a step further. What if the magic was already directed? What if it were a spell, magic given purpose?"

Above Luna's head, the projection moved - the unicorn was moved to one side as a separate orb of magic appeared on the other side. It rippled lightly, like it was awaiting a command.

"And what if the spell was meant to harm somepony? Somepony who did not know how to defend herself?"

The ghostly orb rushed forward, catching the unicorn off-guard. It fired off lines of magic, and the pony just barely matched its power. The two beings struggled for dominance, but it was obvious the orb would win. It was a battle similar to the one Twilight and Rarity had held with the dark mass only hours before.

"Finally, what if the spell wasn't meant to face with a unicorn? What if it were to target a different kind of pony - say, a pegasus? What if it were meant to bond with the pegasus rather than try to injure her?"

The unicorn transformed, its body changing to match the narration of Luna. The horn receded, and a pair of strong wings grew. After the wings appeared, the orb of magic rushed forward again, this time contacting the pony and surrounding it in a large field of power. The pony struggled from within the field, unable to fight free, until finally the field of magic faded from view. The pegasus seemed to glow with an ethereal power as it recovered itself, no doubt wondering what had just happened.

Applejack could stay silent no longer. "Slow down, will ya?"

Luna blinked, and her magical projection faded away. "I apologize...I'm getting ahead of myself."

"Gettin' ahead of the _rest_ of us, too."

"Sorry," Luna murmured, looking around at the young, confused faces all directed toward her. "Perhaps I should explain what I'm saying."

Applejack said nothing, but she made sure her eye-roll was exaggerated.

"What I mean to say," the princess began again, "is that the magic that is being restrained outside might be part of the magic that was previously bound to a pony, one who has no magic to call her own. It was fused with her, and over time, she came to possess a knowledge of it - not enough to put it at her beck and call, but just enough to give it a command of some sort."

"One moment," Rarity said. "A pony with no magic can _command_ magic?"

"If it's a part of her, yes. It's possible."

The white unicorn shot a glance to her left, gazing at both Twilight and Celestia. "A _part_ of her? What pony in her right mind would accept dark magic as a part of her?"

Celestia turned her gaze toward Rarity, giving her a gentle-but-firm look. "It sounds unbelievable, yes, but please let Luna finish."

Rarity wouldn't have it. She focused on Twilight. "You don't believe any of this, do you?"

Twilight responded by tightening her lips in thought and saying nothing. Rarity could see a glimmer of belief behind her friend's confusion, one she couldn't emulate. She turned back around, prompting the moon regent to carry on.

"You bring up a good point," Luna conceded, "in that no pony in her right mind would consent to bonding with such dark magic. I also believe that. However, that's assuming the pony _knew_ what she was getting in to."

Pinkie, who had been following along in silence, finally perked. "So you mean somepony might have accidentally allowed herself to be bound with some super, big, ginormous, dark, evil, and hideous magic?"

"Precisely." Luna smiled, happy that she was finally being understood (though disturbed that Pinkie understood first). "She might have been tricked, or stumbled into something, or simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time. But the circumstances don't matter as much as the fact that she had magic bound to her, and over time, learned to give it a command."

"A command...to attack us," Fluttershy whispered.

Everypony considered this for a moment, keeping their thoughts to themselves. Twilight's brow was deeply furrowed as she mulled over it, until she finally rose her head. A spark of resolve shone in her eyes.

"I still don't think that can be possible. Intriguing, yes, but I can't see how it's possible."

Luna was prepared. "But it's not unbelievable to think that somepony can influence a power that she wields, is it?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, not that a pony can give a command to magic within her. It's the act of bonding magic to a non-magical pony in the first place."

The moon princess remained silent. Twilight continued.

"Thinking back, I know it's possible to cast spells that allow physical changes and magical augments to other ponies, such as a spell that gives flightless ponies a set of wings for three days. But those are specific spells, made exactly for that purpose. Bonding raw magic to a non-unicorn is unheard of - I've _never_ read anything about magic itself being bonded to somepony, least of all without her knowledge of it happening!"

Again, Luna was prepared. "Perhaps you haven't _read_ about it, but you've certainly _seen_ it."

Twilight was stunned for a second. "S-_seen_? I'm sorry, but I'm certain that I've never seen magic bound to-"

This time, Celestia called on her magic to draw an apparition in the air. A golden field of her power hung in place for a moment before rippling and spiraling inward. The spiral then began to take shape.

It began with four legs, leading to a toned torso. A neck and head appeared next, curving inward make the appearance more slender. Innumerable strands of a mane and tail sprouted and were divided into six sections, each a different shade of Celestia's golden magic. Next, a pair of strong wings vibrated into the visible spectrum, standing rigid and proud. Finally, a shining image flashed on the apparition's flank, which solidified into a jagged bolt - also divided, this time into three sections - spearing out of a billowing cloud.

A moment passed by as everypony watched the spectacle. Though none spoke, Celestia knew they were all thinking the name of this phantom pegasus, with whom they were all so familiar.

Finally, Applejack let out a breath of shock. "R-Rainbow...Dash..."

Luna allowed the moment of awe to stretch on a little longer before continuing. "You _have_ seen it before, Twilight Sparkle. You _all_ have seen it. Magic as dark as the one that has attacked you today, bound to a pony with no magic to call her own. She was even marked for it, if I recall your testimonies correctly - a shining blue-black spot along her stomach with thin dancing lines of white."

Celestia released her magic, and the phantom image of Rainbow faded from view. As the image vanished, she spared a look at her student, and was surprised to see her expression. She seemed devastated to watch the image go, almost like the thought of losing her friend a second time was unbearable.

Luna noticed the expression too, and something clicked in her mind. She finally knew why the group of ponies seemed odd to her - it was because they were missing an integral part of their lives. They were short by one, and all of their lives were incomplete because of it.

The mood in the room deflated. Nopony seemed willing to speak. Luna had to urge herself on to keep talking, and even when she did, the Ponyville residents seemed to listen halfheartedly.

"The magic outside, being held down - I believe it's cut from the same magic that was bound to your friend four years ago. It's like a branch, reaching out, following the whims of a 'root,' the pony who is responsible for it. Like the rest of you, I don't believe Rainbow Dash would intentionally command the magic to harm any of you...but again, just because somepony is _responsible_ for the magic, she doesn't need to be in _control_ of it."

Fluttershy took a step forward, drawing Luna's focus. "Wait, why do you think Rainbow is responsible for that..._thing_ outside? If it's like a spell, then couldn't it belong to anypony?"

"You had a look at that orb outside, yes? Even you cannot deny it's similar to what you say was following your friend that day. And besides, how often have you seen magic with those traits? She's the only one we know of who has anything like this," Luna reasoned, twirling her hoof in the air.

Rarity looked forward. "So then, can't we just destroy it somehow? Or at least stabilize it?"

"Right now? No."

The fashionista stood up, angrier than she ought to have been. "So what are we to do? Simply wait around for it to ruin everything we've made?"

Rather than answer Rarity's question, Luna faced Applejack. "Tell me, have you ever had to deal with sick and dying trees before?"

"What?" the farm pony started, not expecting to be addressed. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sometimes a tree or two runs outta apples, and it'll die off later in the year."

"And what must you do to remove the trees from your farm?"

"Why, we dig out and destroy the roots o'course. That way we can plant a few new trees in its place an' keep the town fed."

Luna turned to face Rarity once more. "There you have it."

The unicorn didn't follow. "What do you mean, 'there you have it?' What are you suggesting?"

"As I said, the magic outside is like a branch of a dark tree. If we destroy the branch, then that only delays the problem - it's highly likely that another branch will stretch out and attack you as this one has. And if we destroy _that_ one, then another might appear."

Realization dawned on Rarity, and everypony else, before Luna concluded her point.

"No," she pressed on, determined now, "we cannot destroy that magic outside. In order to stop the problem altogether, we need to dig out and destroy the root. We must locate your friend, Rainbow Dash."

* * *

><p>"I don't want to."<p>

"Spike, I don't want you hurt."

"I don't want to! I don't want to be apart from you for a moment!"

"Spike, please! Do it for me, please!"

Twilight and her assistant, Spike, were in the second-floor loft above the rest of their friends. She had called him up while she was preparing three pairs of saddlebags with various items and maps, the necessities of a pony about to travel for days.

Celestia had given them their tasks. Applejack and Rarity were to head out into the wilderness in search of their estranged friend, which was why Twilight was preparing their supplies. To aid them, Luna was teaching Rarity a way to track down the pegasus via the dark magic that would still be inside her. From the sounds wafting up to the loft, the teaching seemed to be going poorly.

Pinkie and Fluttershy had volunteered to aid with Ponyville's evacuation effort. They were to go to Canterlot with Celestia and help the citizens with getting settled in for however long a stay would be needed. It was one prospect that Pinkie was jubilant for - being able to help her fellow ponies would keep her mind clear of _why_ they were there in the first place.

That had given Twilight her idea. As she was preparing the saddlebags, she had called for Spike to join her. And it was there she had asked him to accompany her mentor to Canterlot, where he would be safely away from the dark orb. However, Spike would have none of it.

"Why can't I stay with you? I can help you stay in contact with Princess Celestia while I'm here!"

The lavender unicorn shook her head as she tightened the now-full bags. "I'm not staying here, Spike."

"Say what?"

"I said I'm not staying. I'm going with Applejack and Rarity to help them find Rainbow and bring her back."

Spike sat on her well-made bed, staring outside the loft's window. "Then I'll come with you!"

"No, Spike."

"I can help you with making camp or cooking!"

"I said no! And we won't be stopping if we can help it," Twilight added, turning to face the window as well.

"You're kidding!" Spike exclaimed. "You have no idea where Rainbow might be - you could be searching for days!"

"That's just it, Spike. Every moment we spend is another moment for that magic outside to absorb some power of that blanket keeping it down. If we take too long, we might not be able to contain it at all. The sooner we find Rainbow, the sooner we can get rid of it."

The two sat in silence for a moment, watching the scene outside. In the short hours since their conference began, the orb had grown considerably larger - the bulge beneath the Canterlot unicorn's magic was larger than a chariot, and occasionally the white lines would eat through the power and tear a hole. The guards would scramble to mend the hole with more magic, but it was becoming more taxing for them. Already, several drained unicorns sat and rested on the perimeter of the town square, waiting for their magic to return to them.

After the moment passed, Spike let out a concern he had been hiding. He turned to look at his guardian. "What do you...think will happen to Rainbow?"

Twilight lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze. "I'm not sure. Nothing like this has ever happened before."

"I hope she doesn't...I mean, you know..."

"Yeah, I know."

They remained silent for a moment longer. Then:

"That's why I want you to go with the princess, Spike. At a time like this, there is no place safer than Canterlot."

Spike turned to protest. "But-"

"Besides," Twilight interrupted, "you know Canterlot like the back of your hand. You can help Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy get settled in, as well as the rest of the refugees."

"But I don't want to go, Twilight!"

"And I do." Twilight stood and turned in one movement, throwing a foreleg around her dragon friend. "You're one of the most precious creatures I know. If anything were to happen to you, I would never, ever forgive myself."

He remained still for a moment, simply allowing himself to be held. "There's nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?"

Twilight's response was only a tighter hold.

Spike returned the hug, finally conceding defeat. "Well...alright. I don't like this, but I'll...I'll go."

"Thank you," she breathed, feeling immense relief come over her. "I promise I'll make this up to you, once all this is over. How does a fireruby sound?"

To her surprise, Spike laughed. "Twilight, I'm not such a baby anymore. You don't need to buy me off just to get your way!"

Twilight laughed along with him. It felt good, being able to laugh - the entire day made such a simple action seem impossible. "I suppose you're right!" she said, releasing her hold. She turned around and lifted the saddlebags with her magic. As she made for the stairs, Spike followed.

"But, since you offered...I'd love a fireruby. Brushed with diamond dust."

The sound of their laughter invaded the thoughts of everypony on the first floor, who all silently wondered what was wrong with them.

* * *

><p>Rarity stood still, the glow of navy magic receding from her body. She had her eyes closed, but her expression of abhorrence was still very much present. At Luna's behest, she had been subjected to a special augment to her tracking spell - that augment being a special link to the same dark magic that was trapped outside the library.<p>

'_I'm surprised,'_ Rarity thought, fidgeting as the uncomfortable power settled. _'Not only did Luna know about binding magic, she knows how to _do_ it.'_

It was not an idea that Rarity liked. Using Rarity's proficient knowledge of tracking down gemstones as a focal point, Luna had suggested that she use the same power to track down the dark magic that should still be bound to Rainbow Dash. But the only way this would be possible was if Rarity took some of that dark magic as her own.

"Not a lot," Luna had assured, holding a pea-sized sample of the orb inside a shield spell, "just enough to make it want to return to where it came from."

"I don't like this idea at all," Rarity announced for the third time in as many minutes. "This magic is tainted with the damaging of my home, not to mention the fact that it nearly killed my friend. Who's to say it won't hurt _me_?"

"This entire plan is focused on finding Rainbow Dash as soon as possible," the moon princess explained - also for the third time in as many minutes. "If you search quickly and find her, then it won't have enough time to cause any lasting damage to you."

"And if it does?" the fashionista challenged, opening one eye to gaze upon Luna.

"Well, if it does, then think about this. This is the same basic idea as what happened to Rainbow Dash. She's been holding this magic for four years now. If we can fix that after four years, then we can fix yours after a few short days."

Applejack was standing nearby, watching with keen interest. "And just how d'you plan on _fixing_ Rainbow Dash?"

Luna stood still for a moment. "I'm working on that," she replied, refusing to meet the farm pony's gaze.

As Luna finished with her bonding spell (much to Rarity's annoyance), Twilight descended the flight of stairs to meet with them. She held aloft three sets of saddlebags, all filled to the brim. "I hope this will cover everything we'll need. How is the spell going, Rarity?" she asked, setting the bags gently on the floor.

The white unicorn groaned. "Perfectly, I'm afraid. I can feel that piece of filth settling in just fine."

"I'm sorry," Luna said as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. "This is the only way I can think of to find her, without leaving anypony alone to fend for themselves."

Rarity wasn't convinced. "Tell me, why does it have to be me? Why can't you go out and track her down instead of me?"

"Several reasons. The first is that you're better with tracking magic than most other unicorns, so you know what to look for. The second is I want to stay here so I can help with holding the dark magic down, if it gets too powerful for the guards. I also think..."

Luna trailed off, casting a glance toward Applejack that hid what she felt.

"What?" Applejack said. "You also think what?"

"No...nothing, never mind."

"Don't play that game with me, missy. What were you about t'say?"

Luna turned around, this time locking gazes with Twilight. The princess couldn't help but think that maybe the lavender librarian knew what she was about to say.

She was right. _'It's because she's afraid that if she goes to find Rainbow, she'll get scared and might run away again,'_ Twilight thought.

Clearing her throat, Luna took notice of the three pairs of saddlebags Twilight had filled. She raised an eyebrow. "You've over-prepared, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight blinked. "What? How so?"

"You have three sets of bags here. Only two are needed."

"I don't understand," she replied, looking over the bags she had brought down. "We'll be one pair short if we only take two pairs. I have one for each of us - Applejack, Rarity, and myself."

'_Ah, so that's why,'_ Luna thought. "You're mistaken, I'm afraid. You're staying here with me."

Simultaneously, the three ponies around Luna said "What?" at differing levels of shock. She winced at the sudden burst of noise.

"I need to you stay here with me, Twilight Sparkle. I request your help with researching the magic outside, and with keeping it contained if the situation calls for it."

"Oh?" she began. "But what about-"

"I'm certain that your friends will be able to search for Rainbow Dash without your help. I'll need your expertise here," Luna said with a tone of finality.

The librarian's ears lowered, dismayed. She had been eager to see her friend again, despite what kind of state she would be in. With a sigh, Twilight wrapped her magic around the saddlebags she had prepared for herself, and floated it up to the loft.

* * *

><p>Princess Celestia's personal chariot stood outside the library, flanked by a set of guards who stood tense. Behind them, they could hear the quiet chatter of two ponies as they discussed what was happening.<p>

"I'm nervous," one said barely above a whisper. "I'm happy to help the refugees, but...I just don't know how much help I'll be."

"Cheer up," said the other in a higher-pitched voice. "It's not like this evacuation is a permanent thing. We'll probably be there for a week before the Princess tells us we can return home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! You just do what you do best, Fluttershy - take care of those you care about. Let ol' Pinkie Pie do the worrying for the both of us, deal?"

The guards didn't bother to listen in any further, because at that moment the alicorn they had sworn fealty to arrived from the town square. Celestia stood tall, her wings folded against her back. She walked around her chariot to meet the two ponies who were waiting for her.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked up, gasped, and instinctively bowed their heads. Celestia smiled down on them. _'A state of emergency, and they still hold on to little manners such as this,'_ she thought.

"We'll need to set off as soon as possible, I'm afraid. Have you two said your goodbyes to your friends?"

Fluttershy looked up. "Yes, we finished not too long ago."

"Good. Please climb in and get settled - I'll join you in a moment."

The sun regent walked past them and into the library, leaving them to clamber into the gold-brushed chariot. Fluttershy had an easier time, simply flapping her wings to give herself enough height to reach the seats. She reached down and helped pull Pinkie Pie in, who took the seat opposite her.

The two friends sat, neither speaking. It couldn't be said that they sat in silence, for the trapped orb of dark magic would let out a vibrating growl every few moments. It was unnerving, like hearing the heavy breathing of some great beast, while being _inside_ the beast.

After a few moments spent in the tense atmosphere, the library door opened again. Celestia walked out, closely followed by her sister, Spike, and the three remaining ponies. The group all spared a glance toward the town square, where the bulging mass of magic seemed to grow larger by the minute.

The sun regent walked aside a ways before turning to address everypony. "You all have your assignments," she began, "and have been prepared as best as possible, given the short amount of time we have. Luna and Twilight will stay here to research the darkness and form a plan. Applejack and Rarity will track down Rainbow Dash, without whom we can't hope to defeat the magic we have trapped. Fluttershy and Pinkie will come to Canterlot with me, to help with the Ponyville refugees settling in. Spike will be joining us.

"I wish we had more information, but we cannot spare more time to find it. Is everypony ready?"

A moment of consideration befell them all. Nopony wanted to go through with _any_ of their tasks, but they all knew that if they didn't act, then the dark magic would break free and wreak more havoc. After the moment past, Luna looked up and spoke for the group.

"We need to be as ready as we can be, but we just don't have enough time. Now will have to do."

The group of friends spent some time to wish each other one last ounce of good luck and good byes. The moment was short-lived. Celestia's chariot had taken off before the occupants had realized what was happening, while Applejack and Rarity had been pushed along the path out of Ponyville, towards Everfree.

'_Good luck, my little ponies,'_ Celestia thought as her chariot soared higher into the air.

Before long, only Luna and Twilight remained. They stood in front of the library door, unsure of where to begin. Finally, after the dark mass emanated another growl, Luna turned back. "Come," she said. "We have much to do and less time to do it in."

Twilight sighed, suddenly feeling empty without her dear friends nearby. She turned and followed the moon princess inside. As the door closed behind her, an invasive thought broke through her melancholy.

"Princess?"

Luna didn't turn around, but called out behind her. "Yes?"

"Earlier, you had said that the magic outside wasn't telekinesis magic. If that's true, then just what kind of magic is it?"

A book floated down in front of her face, wrapped in the navy corona of Luna's magic. The title read _The Magician's Way: A Starting Guide to Magic Types_. Twilight took the book in her own magic.

"That's the first thing we're going to find out," Luna replied, using her magic to reach another, thicker book. "I'm going to need your expertise for that. I hear you enjoy reading, yes?"

Twilight gazed over the edge of the book toward the princess, who had already opened her tome and was flipping through the contents. The unicorn set the book down as well, opening it with a flick of her head - her magic opened the cover as though it were blown. The two began pouring over the lines on each page, sitting in a silence constantly broken by the vibrating growls outside.

* * *

><p>Cold dirt gave way to sharp hoof as Applejack ascended a hillside. She and Rarity had long since left the boundary of their home, yet they could still feel the shaking of the world as the magic protested again and again. The farm pony had not said a word since giving her best wishes to her friends.<p>

Rarity kept her eyes forward, her horn aglow with her tracking spell. She could feel a gentle tug at her senses as she trotted on; she knew from experience that the tugging would strengthen as she drew nearer to her goal.

As they reached the peak of the hill, the two friends looked back. Ponyville stood in the distance, cozy, grand - and utterly devoid of its residents. They gazed upon their emptied home, both friends silently wondering what would happen next. This was not how either of them had planned their day. Applejack had not even had a chance to see her family off before they were pushed into a pegasus-drawn chariot.

The sight of their home was disquieting to them both. After a moment, Rarity turned away, starting along the path again. She walked on for a moment before she realized that Applejack was not with her. The unicorn turned her head and saw the farm pony on the crest of the hill, looking up at the sky.

There, above the buildings of Ponyville, floated a grand cloud structure. One that was built to last years of neglect. One that was being neglected, and remained resilient. It was Rainbow Dash's cloud home, abandoned after she fled. And it held the rapt attention of Applejack, who stood like a vigil.

"Applejack?" Rarity called.

"Yeah?"

"I know it's not much to go by, but believe me when I say we will find her."

Behind them, back in the square of their town, the dark orb absorbed more power and grew larger. Time was running out.

**End chapter six**

Author's comments: My apologies in the delay it took to get this one done. I kid you not when I say I worked on all of the second half of this chapter over the span of ten straight hours. Editing and proofing with Kevin took a glorious three more hours. Consider this one of my new year's resolutions - completing the stories I've made quicker than before.

This officially concludes Act I of this story. Act II picks up with chapter seven.

Co-author's comments: Hell. That's what this chapter was. Fun to read, but a bitch to work on. There were quite a few tough cookies to crack in this chapter, and I was glad to help Aaron with them. There was a lot of explaining done in this chapter as well. Sorry if it was boring. We'll try not to have as much in the next chapter. Promise.

Next chapter: As the search for Rainbow Dash begins, Applejack and Rarity discover there are some secrets they both have been hiding from their friends. Truths ring out that fracture their faith in one another. Meanwhile, Twilight and Luna pour over history and lessons. Twilight starts to wonder what the princess has planned.


	7. Blame Where Blame is Due

**Rain without Rainbows**

A double-helping of imagination served with a side of bronyism!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Since it's proven that Hasbro is legitimately taking down the episodes, there is NO way I'm gonna claim ownership over their product. In the interest of letting me continue to write, I say they can keep their rights – and the same goes for the Hub, Studio B, and the creative minds of Faust and Theisson.

As always, welcome back to this growing epic of a story. I won't lie to you, this is where things are gonna get more complex. Recounting the last chapter, we took part in a lecture-turned-conference led by our lovable Luna, who revealed a number of disturbing truths and opinions. The suggested plan for her and her allies is to find the estranged pegasus, Rainbow Dash.

This chapter picks up the following day, and will follow the tasks of several ponies as they are divided. Without the mediation of their other friends, there's nothing to stop a few more truths from emerging, whether they like those truths or not.

ACT II- _The Pariah_  
><strong>Chapter 7: <strong>Blame Where Blame is Due

At the insistence of Luna, Twilight had retired to her bed shortly before sundown. Though she managed to sleep, it could not be said that she rested - her mind was plagued with phantoms. Images of magic running free, pegasi flying high in the air, blasts of lightning and thunder, waves of white lines bringing ruin to homes, and the saturated image of her rainbow-maned friend all faded in and out of her mind's eye.

She awoke the following morning before the sun had been raised. A fresh headache ate at her temples and drove her from her slumber. As she opened her eyes, she noticed two things. The first was that the incessant growling of the captured magic had quieted, and the guards outside were relieved in that fact. The second was that there was a steady supply of noises reaching her ears from the library below, such as the turning of a page or the clink of a glass.

Twilight sat up in her bed, allowing her comforter to pool around her hind legs. The entire library was dark save for a gentle glow of a lantern from the first floor. Luna had remained awake through the night, vigilant to remain one step ahead of her faceless enemy. The sound of her toil was soft yet constant.

'_I guess being an embodiment of the night makes staying up all night a non-issue,'_ Twilight thought in a rare moment of wit.

Forcing herself to ignore her headache, Twilight made her bed and started down the stairs. The sound of her descent reached Luna, but she was so engrossed with her studies that she did not notice. The unicorn was startled at the sight - surrounding the moon princess were stacks of books, several thicker than the standard encyclopedia. Luna had three such books open, and was reading through them all at once, cross-referencing the information contained in each. Towers of awaiting books stood nearby, arranged by subject matter, while exhausted tomes were tossed carelessly into various piles.

'_I...think I've met somepony who loves books more than I do!'_

Pushing her thoughts aside, Twilight stepped forward. "Princess?" she called.

Luna's head jerked a little. Not expecting the sound, she was startled. "Oh, good morning, Twilight Sparkle. How do you feel?"

"Good enough. Didn't get much rest though."

"What about after what happened yesterday?"

A memory flashed in Twilight's mind. She saw the dark orb again, saw it rushing to meet her, felt it covering her in a pulsing cage, and remembered the feeling as her strength and willpower left her. The memory caused a shudder to run up her spine.

Her mouth suddenly dry, Twilight lied. "I'm okay."

The lavender bibliophile took a moment to admire the towers of knowledge that were arranged on the floor. She trotted up to one stack near the staircase, noting that nearly every book was from the same pair of authors - clearly a valued partnership to have written so many works. Farther away was a tower containing matters related to telekinesis, ranging from tiny leaflets to veritable bibles on the subject.

Twilight stopped in front of a third stack, this one containing books she had never seen before. Not even in her stock. "Where did these come from? They look complicated."

"I've been having small teams bring books I've requested here from the Royal Library," Luna explained, not once looking up from her work. "Some of those haven't been touched since the time of Starswirl the Bearded, so I hope the information isn't too outdated."

Twilight raised her eyebrows in appreciation. She tilted her head to better read the names on the spines of the books. "_Governing Laws of Magic...Pillar of Existence...Unknowable Divinations_? What are these books _for_?"

"Discounting the impossible, I hope."

"The impossible?"

"Correct," the princess replied, turning the pages of her three books at the same time. "Make no mistake, I find myself with a lot of unpredictable questions regarding your friend. I'm going through them one by one, gathering as many answers as I can, so that I won't make any mistakes."

Nodding, Twilight sat down and picked up a book that had been tossed aside. "_Outlying Provinces_. This doesn't look like it deals with magic...it's written like a geography text."

"That's exactly what it is."

"What would geography have to do with that dark magic or Rainbow Dash?"

Luna cleared her throat, finally looking up from her triple-reading. Twilight noticed that her eyes were partially glazed, yet still alive with a fire of duty. "From I can gather, telekinesis is a type of magic that's centered around Equestria. It's highly probable that other magics are studied in other countries beyond our border. That's what these are for."

Luna wrapped her magic around her three open books, lifting them from the ground. She presented their covers to the unicorn before her, who noticed they all had to do with the history and culture of separate lands.

"If I can find a country that studies magic, then I can narrow down the possibilities of where this magic came from, like these three. Each has their own study of magic, and each magic has its own characteristics. Sadly, most of them seem to focus on different divinations and mysticism, so I'm not making much headway."

Twilight blinked. That's the second time the word had come up. "Divinations?"

"Such as necromancy."

Twilight blinked again. She thought about asking what on earth necromancy was, but thought better of it. "Ahh...s-so what kind of progress _have_ we made?"

Luna let out an exasperated sigh. "Nothing. None of these books seem to tell me anything about magic that can absorb other magic. They even make no mention of binding magic, almost like it doesn't exist - when I know from experience that's untrue."

She released her magic, letting the books crumple to the floor. With a huff of frustration, Luna rested her head on her haunches, eyes closing.

"This is all becoming one big wild moose chase," she muttered bitterly.

"Goose," Twilight corrected.

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's 'goose,' princess. Wild 'goose' chase."

Luna let out a loud moan of contempt. "That's just silly. Moose are easier to chase than geese."

Twilight couldn't suppress a giggle.

"What's so funny, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Oh, uh...nothing, don't worry about it."

The two sat in silence for a while, Twilight taking the time to sift through some of the Canterlot books that Luna had requested while the latter rested her eyes. After ten minutes spent in the silence, Twilight asked the question that had been nagging her since the previous afternoon.

"Princess Luna?"

"Mmm?" she moaned, not bothering to open her eyes.

"I was hoping you could tell me about binding magic."

Luna didn't immediately respond. She remained still, not breathing a word, to the point that Twilight began to fear that she had offended her. She bit her lip, starting to worry. Finally, the moon regent spoke.

"You should know, first and foremost, to never attempt it."

Luna opened her eyes, fixing them squarely on the unicorn. The glaze that Twilight had noticed before was gone, replaced with a hint of steel that dared her to argue. The power of the stare made her uncomfortable.

"Binding and unraveling spells are forbidden in nearly all magic communities. It's considered unnatural, and there have been many cases where a pony who was bound to magic - any type of magic - would, frankly, lose their mind. Removing the magic from the bound pony is even more dangerous, since the magic can easily take away the pony's life force."

The princess rose to her hooves, calmly staring at Twilight. She moved around the stacks of books, circling the unicorn. In the dim light of the nearby lantern, she appeared spectral, moving in and out of sight.

"It's not limited to ponies, either. Magic can be bound to anything you desire - stones, trees, buildings, other creatures, it matters not. But each time you try to bind, you incite a great deal of risk. It's very rare for the new host to the magic to remain unharmed, regardless of the amount of magic bound. The mere act of binding scars their very being.

"But the greatest danger is not to the pony being fused to the magic. It's to the pony doing the fusing. In order to properly bind magic to somepony, you would need a great deal of comprehension of your spell, and even the nature of magic itself. It won't do to simply know what spell to cast - if you are not absolutely confident in your skill, then you will destroy yourself."

Luna stood behind the librarian, who found herself shivering despite the warmth of early autumn. Twilight turned her head to get a glance at the princess, but to no avail - she had begun moving again, speaking lower, as though passing on a dark secret.

"The reason binding magic is considered a forbidden art is because of the implications it presents to the spell's caster. As I said, to cast the bind properly would require a great deal of knowledge; the most intricate fusions are done by using one's own body and soul as material."

Something broke through Twilight's calm. "_What?_" she shouted, standing up and turning in one fluid motion.

"Yes," Luna continued, unfazed. She moved on, away from the lantern light - her form disappeared into shadow. "The best-laid bindings are held by leaving a part of yourself behind in your subject. Without it, you might as well be casting any standard spell, one that will wear off given time or stress. The allure to binding magic to somepony is its resilience. By imparting a piece of yourself onto another, you can effectively outlast the hardships of everyday life."

Suddenly, Twilight's headache became much more pronounced. She held a hoof against her forehead, trying to sort out her thoughts. "Wait, just wait," she pleaded.

"Very well."

The unicorn and the alicorn stood in a thoughtful silence for several minutes, during which time Twilight groaned aloud or murmured something beneath her breath. The logical part of her mind fiercely argued against all that she had just heard, while the more magically-inclined portion stayed demure and hopelessly optimistic. To put an image to it, her mind was a cliff against a sea; relentless waves of "can't-be-done's" crashed against solid walls of "what-if's."

After suffering the turmoil for another minute, Twilight finally managed to get a hold of her thoughts. "Okay, okay, _why_ would anyone want to impart a...piece of their soul onto somepony else?"

"Remember what I said before. Unraveling magic that was previously bound to a pony is very risky, because the magic can leave with some of the pony's own life force. That's the reward that some sorcerers have sought from their spells - the chance to steal another's strength. When the magic returns to the caster, that natural energy of the host's life has only one place to go."

"Back into the pony who bound the magic," Twilight concluded. "But that all sounds...morbid."

"Indeed," Luna agreed. "That's why it's considered a forbidden art. Stealing one pony's life to empower your own is against the laws of nature."

"Yes, but binding a part of your own _soul_ onto somepony? How...can that be possible?"

The night princess walked on, once again fading into the shadows that the lantern light couldn't reach. "That's the great mystery, isn't it? For wielders of magic like you or I, such a feat is simply impossible. Our magic allows us to manipulate material things and affect physical bodies; nothing so complex as the soul. That's why I'm so certain there's another type of magic at work, one that behaves differently than telekinesis."

A field of navy magic sparked to life around _Unknowable Divinations_, and the book rose soundlessly. It floated near the lantern, where Luna stepped out of the shadows. The book opened with the rapid-fire _fwishfwishfwish_ of the pages until she paused to look at one of them.

"Here," she called, floating the text toward Twilight. "You can see it, can't you?"

With a moment to hesitate, Twilight took the book into her own magic - the corona of navy faded to violet. She looked on the page, which had been earmarked sometime before. On the marked page was an artist's rendering of one of the many 'unknowable' divines the author had encountered. The mere sight of it caused her heart to beat a little faster.

On the page, drawn in explicit detail, was a bulbous orb of dark magic. It floated barely a foot off the ground, and thin lines of white flowed down the mass in a mesmerizing dance. Behind the orb, a shadow of a unicorn was seen casting the magic, feeding a steady stream of power into it. Beneath the drawing, a caption had been written.

"'Unidentified siphon spell,'" Twilight read. "'Unidentified,' huh. That doesn't help us much."

Luna nodded. "It proves that this magic we have trapped _exists_, but nothing else. There's no actual information contained that we don't already know. But no other spell listed seemed similar, least of all like this one."

Twilight lowered the book, looking at the princess over the hard cover. "Do you think this kind of magic would be able to be bound? I mean, with the caster's soul as material."

"Ah," the alicorn began. She grinned a little, proud despite herself. "Of that, I am certain. The mere fact that I was able to bind some of the magic outside to Rarity proves it. Were it not, then the magic would have dissipated as soon as I tried to bind."

Something clicked within Twilight. A sudden unsettling came over her; not a lot, just enough for discomfort. "Hold on...I thought you told me that binding magic was forbidden?"

"That's right, I did," Luna replied. She turned her head to one side, concerned. "Why?"

"Princess, how is it that _you_ know how to bind?"

For the second time that morning, Luna did not immediately respond. To Twilight's continued surprise, she seemed to shy away, lowering her gaze as though ashamed. For a long minute, Luna remained silent, contemplating something that Twilight couldn't read on her face.

Finally, the moon regent looked up. "I told you...I know from experience...did I not?"

Another moment of silence befell them, allowing Twilight to chew on the evasive answer.

"As I've said, magic can be fused to other things instead of ponies...such as stones, or trees. Like the trees within the Everfree Forest, where they can be malformed into horrible designs."

Realization settled over the lavender unicorn. _'Her time as Nightmare Moon...'_

Luna nodded, having seen the understanding behind Twilight's eyes. "While I'm by no means proud of what...what I did, I can't say that I've forgotten. I retain all of the knowledge from my time as Nightmare, but no longer have all of the power to bind as well as I have in the past. Not that I want to anymore, mind you, but my knowledge helps me find the facts...or at least discount the impossible."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, thick and heavy as sin. Luna held her gaze on the flickering lantern, lost in thoughts of her past sins. Twilight, meanwhile, couldn't look at her, embarrassed as she was at having brought up such a sour subject. For a long while, the two of them remained still, letting the unhappy memories flit about.

Finally, another question crashed through Twilight's mind like a stone through a web. She gingerly placed the book she was holding back on its perch nearby. "What about..." She trailed off, cleared her throat, and began again. "What about the pony to whom the magic was bound? What kind of risks would they face?"

Luna's head snapped up, suddenly alarmed. It seemed she had not been expecting the question, or at least not yet. She didn't answer, instead merely looking at Twilight through eyes dancing with unspoken words.

"Princess Luna?" the unicorn prompted. "If it's true that this dark magic has been bound to Rainbow Dash, then what dangers is she facing?"

The alicorn's mouth opened once, twice, both times only a dry sound coming through. Finally, Luna tore her gaze away, slumped down in front of her three open books on the floor, and wouldn't look at Twilight again.

Twilight's eyes narrowed on instinct - the silence worried her. "Princess?" she prodded.

"Some questions are best left unanswered, Twilight Sparkle."

The reply caused Twilight's breath to catch in her throat. As before, more questions began to spawn in her mind, more stones piling up higher and higher. She stared at Luna's prone form, who didn't not return the stare. The unicorn called out once more, hoping for an answer. None came - the princess of the night remained as silent as the night.

Eventually, Twilight gave in. She turned her head toward the library's window, where the first rays of sunlight breached the dim room. She noticed that, while any normal day would have morning activity outside her door, today the town was still. A painful reminder of the situation she was in.

Conceding defeat, she reached out with her magic toward _Unknowable Divinations_ once more. She sat across from the princess, opened to the page she had marked, and stared at the drawing of the siphon spell. Even on paper, it gave her a chill that had nothing to do with the early-morning cold.

* * *

><p>There was a very distinct pressure along Applejack's backside as she navigated the Everfree trail. The pressure seemed to shift every time she moved, bringing with it dull feelings of pain. The fact that the trail was winding upward and grew progressively muddier didn't help, and she constantly found herself slipping on a moist patch or loose stone.<p>

"Rarity," she called, blowing her hair out of her face. "You know Ah haul apple carts, right?"

"Yes, of course," a voice near her replied.

"And you know that you ain't no apple cart, right?"

"_Yes_, I'm quite sure of that fact. And I hope you're not implying what I think you are."

Applejack let out a grunt, coming to a halt. The pressure on her back was growing too much. "That's right, Ah'm implyin' that yer an apple cart. Ya got me."

Rarity huffed. "Oh, _really_, Applejack! What an awful thing to say! You know full well that I am _not_ a tacky, run-down apple cart!"

The farm pony twisted her head, gazing upward. "Then would ya kindly _prove_ that by gettin' offa me and walkin' on yer own?"

Rarity, who had been the culprit behind Applejack's back pain, turned her nose. "You can't be serious. Do you honestly expect ME to track my _beautiful_ hooves through this _horrible_, disgusting mud path? I am quite content here, thank you. Now if you don't mind, you can continue walking."

Before Rarity could react, she found herself suddenly without support. In a comical moment where she had time to blink, she noticed that the ground was rising to meet her, bringing with it promises of a sullied coat. For a moment, it even seemed to smile. She landed on all fours where the smile was, shrieking until her lungs were empty. The splash of mud and fallen twigs coated her hooves, utterly ruining her otherwise perfect hike through the forest.

Applejack couldn't help but smile as she recovered herself. It had been a long time since she had bucked another pony off of her back. "Ah don't mind at all, honey. Try to keep up, won't ya?"

The white unicorn gazed at one hoof, mortified. "H-how could you? I was relying on you, Applejack!"

"An' Ah'm relyin' on you to lead us outta here before it gets dark!" she countered. "Now _if ya don't mind_, you can continue walkin'."

After a moment spent fuming and ruing the existence of mud, Rarity began her arduous trek through the **horrible, disgusting** mud path that just barely rose past the cleft of her hooves. She passed her companion, making sure to huff loudly.

Applejack gave a light sigh, shaking her head. The entire journey had been on and off like this since the two of them had left Ponyville the day before. When Rarity lead them down dry stone roads, all was well. But when she came across paths covered in rubbish, there was simply no end to her complaining. This was not the first time that Applejack had forced her off of a free ride - though, admittedly, the other landings weren't _nearly_ as satisfying.

The tracking magic, augmented with Luna's binding, was gently leading them through the forest. As luck would have it, the journey had been well-lit and free of encounters. Since beginning their search again this morning, Applejack had begun to hope that they were making good progress; they had passed the forest's central river only an hour hence.

As the amusing moment of free rides and bucking-off faded, an easy silence fell over the two friends. Not a perfect silence - the sound of their hooves broke the air constantly, and every so often, Rarity would stop as she considered her tracking spell. She held a nasty habit of groaning aloud as she tried to pinpoint the direction she was being pulled.

Applejack was grateful for the calm. As she followed the white unicorn on the shaded path, she was able to focus more on her thoughts, which had become understandably active of late.

'_Ah can't help but wonder how Rainbow is doin' after all this time,'_ she mused. _'The stubborn little bucker Ah know wouldn't let anythin' keep her down fer long...but it _has_ been a long time since she flew off. She was in no right state when she upped and left, after all.'_

The draft mare shifted her saddlebags, wresting comfort from their deadweight. _'Ah hope she hasn't forgotten about us.'_

Ahead of her, Rarity had stopped. She was looking through a break in the trees, down a separate path than what she was following. Applejack caught up. "Somethin' wrong?"

"You remember this place, don't you?"

Following the fashionista's gaze, Applejack looked down the second path. It led directly to a steep cliff, with another standing proudly several yards further. Connecting the two lips was a simple, but sturdy, rope bridge. Beyond the bridge rested a dilapidated structure, built for royalty, but victimized by nature. It was the abandoned castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, before they settled Canterlot.

The sight caused memories to flash in both friends' minds, most notably of their struggle against the alicorn of Nightmare five years ago. Among those memories, however, stood another one, which had particular impact on the bridge. As they gazed upon the bridge, and the cliff on the far side, both ponies remembered the test of Loyalty that their estranged friend had overcome at this very location.

As though knowing their thoughts, Applejack heard her old friend's voice on the air. It called from the direction of the bridge, bringing a sense of reassurance. _"You see? I'd never abandon my friends."_ The farm mare knew, of course, she had imagined the voice, but it brought a grin to her face all the same.

Next to her, Rarity released a quiet huff. "She certainly has fallen a long way, hasn't she?"

Applejack stood silent for a moment, not at all expecting the question. Finally she turned her gaze to meet the speaker. "What do ya mean?"

"I mean Rainbow Dash. When she stood up to temptation the way she did five years ago, I could not have been prouder of her. She saw her dream of being the best flier in Equestria standing before her, and she chose us instead."

"Yup, Ah was proud of her too. That night was one of her best moments, Ah bet."

Rarity nodded, and turned away. "And she's fallen from that grace."

As the comment settled into Applejack's understanding, the forest seemed to grow quiet. She turned as well, shock showing on her face. "An' just whaddya mean by _that_?"

"Oh, Applejack, can't you see? If Rainbow Dash truly _is_ guilty of sending that dark magic against us, then she's no longer deserving of our pride."

An icy focus grew at the front of the earth pony's mind, like a lead bit being pulled forward. She ran up to Rarity's side, turning to meet her gaze.

"Are you sayin' that you think Rainbow actually _meant_ to hurt us? To hurt Twilight?"

Without breaking trot, the unicorn replied quietly. "Yes."

"Wha...how can you think that, Rarity? She's still yer friend, ain't she?"

"She's a friend none of us have seen in four years. A lot can happen in that time, Applejack...ponies can change."

The two continued on their path, leading away from the cliff and the castle. The rising tension made both ponies walk a little faster, feeling an inexplicable need to better each other. "There's no way Rainbow would _change_ enough to actually _want_ her friends hurt! You know her better'n that, don't ya?"

"And what if the Rainbow we know isn't the Rainbow we're trying to find, Applejack?"

The focus in Applejack's mind shifted, no longer icy - it began to burn. "Why don'chya quit asking me meaningless questions and tell me what's on yer mind, prissy-hooves."

The insult jabbed Rarity and caused her face to flush, but to her credit, she held her calm. "Hmph. I've been thinking over all that has happened - this haphazard search, the attack on our home, even the incident four years ago. Nothing like this has happened before, you know."

"Do you have a point?"

Rarity stopped, looking at her companion through eyes turned razors. "My point is, I don't believe Rainbow Dash simply 'stumbled' into being bound to that dark magic. I think she wanted it."

For a moment, Applejack was at a loss. When she finally found words, they were broken. "Wh-what? But then...then yer sayin' that she _wanted_ the Wonderbolts to be killed?"

"That's right."

Before Rarity could react, Applejack had rushed forward and pinned her violently against the trunk of a nearby tree, her foreleg pressing against the unicorn's neck. She yelped in surprise, struggling against the fierce hold. The sudden attack broke her magic, and her corona of power faded from view.

The unicorn looked into the eyes of Applejack, which had narrowed to dots of rage. They flickered, as though there were a fire behind them. Rarity swallowed, feeling the movement bounce against the earth pony's tense leg..

"Now, now, Applejack...let's calm down, shall we?"

Applejack snorted. "You insult the memory of mah friend, accuse her of murderin' her idols, and claim she _wanted_ to have Twi killed, then expect me to calm down?"

"Let me go, Applejack."

"Why are you here, then? If you really think all this is just a waste o' time, why are you tryin' to find her with me?"

Rarity coughed - the pressure was getting to be too much. "Let me go."

"Or are ya just doin' this to rub up to the Princess? Score some points with the royalty, so you can move up to Canterlot an' forget about th' rest of us?"

"Let me go, Applejack!" She began to wheeze. "Let...let go!"

A burst of light shone from Rarity's horn, spreading along the forest trail. The radiance blinded the earth pony, who moved backward on instinct, releasing her hold on the unicorn she was so angry with. Taking several steps back and finally sinking to her stomach, Applejack grunted and rubbed her eyes to ease the incredible pain away.

Rarity fell to one knee, sputtering as her lungs greedily drank up air. She called back her magic, and the blinding light receded as quickly as it had emerged. With a cough, she half-spoke, half-shouted to the farm mare.

"I'm not...I'm not trying to get away from Ponyville, Applejack! And I'm not trying to impress anyone, either! The whole reason I'm searching with you is _for_ Ponyville!"

Applejack's movements slowed, more deliberate now as she listened to her companion's words. She tried to open her eyes, but her retinas still burned with the flash of light.

"Don't mistake me for not...for not caring about Rainbow Dash. If that magic is from her, then that's one thing. But the _fact_ is that the magic _attacked_ us - it attacked Ponyville! It nearly killed Twilight, you know...and I couldn't stop it! It matched my power! I was forced to stand there and _watch_ as it tortured her! Can you imagine how mortifying that is?

"That magic, whatever it is, is a worse enemy than anything we've faced before. Nightmare Moon only tried to keep the Elements of Harmony away from us, and even Discord did nothing more than reverse our priorities. This time, we're up against something than can _kill_ us, Applejack. And more and more, that magic seems like the exact same one that killed the Wonderbolts."

Applejack, finally regaining sight, managed to speak. "But then, why are you insulting Rainbow's memory like this?"

"Because that's all she is to us right now, Applejack. A _memory _- she hasn't been seen or heard from in four years. I can't put my reasons into a memory of what we've lost; I need something more real. _That's_ why I'm searching for her with you...because it's the best way to help our home and keep our remaining friends protected. Your reason for this search is for the friend you had, while my reason is for the home we still have," she explained. The pain in her neck subsided, and she stood up. A part of her noticed all the mud and loose leaves that were sticking to her coat, but she chose to leave them, to ignore them.

"That's still no reason to go on spreadin' lies about her, Rarity." Applejack blinked away the dazzling white that lingered in her eyes, finally rising to all fours. She stepped closer, slowly, no longer seeking to assert herself through sheer force. "Why would you say you think she _wanted_ the Wonderbolts to die? That's no small thing to say, y'know."

Rarity sighed. "After all the facts are in place, I just can't help but feel that way."

"Now that's just not fair."

The white unicorn remained still, not expecting such a response. "What do you mean?"

With a snort, Applejack explained. "You say yer considerin' all the facts, right? Well, I don't think we even _have_ all the facts jus' yet. The most we have to go on is what Spitfire managed to make everypony believe - that Rainbow is to blame for what happened at the tryouts. An' it's easy to believe the victim, especially Spitfire.

"But for land sake's, Rarity, there ain't a lotta facts to begin with. Didn't you notice that Luna kept sayin' she 'believes' what's goin' on, instead of she _knows_? Nopony knows what's goin' on, because nopony has _all_ the facts. At some point, you gotta understand that."

She stood a foot away from Rarity, looking at her squarely in the eye. The tension between them was still present, but it had changed - no longer hot and fierce, it now remained still but firm.

"With that in mind, missy, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't go on telling what Spitfire _believes_ like it's the gospeled truth. If you wanna stick to the facts, then fine. Just don't go accusin' Rainbow of murder, alright? I just...I can't stand the thought of it."

Rarity remained silent for a moment, surprised to see her friend behave so pleadingly. A soft wind kicked up, prompting a gentle breeze to sweep over them. Both ponies simply stared at one another, unsure of what to do.

Finally, Rarity forced her gaze down. She cleared her throat, already tasting her pride that she was about to swallow. "You're right. I suppose we _don't_ have all the facts yet...and it isn't fair for me to cast Rainbow in such a bad light when we don't know the whole truth. My apologies."

The tension between them lifted like a depressed spring unwinding. It didn't completely leave them, but the lessened presence lifted their spirits considerably. "Yeah...an' listen, Ah'm sorry about...about hurtin' ya like that. Ah got carried away."

"Don't worry about it, my dear," Rarity replied. "As I said...ponies can change in four years. I don't blame you."

"Yeah. Come on, let's get a move on. We still headin' this way?"

"That's right."

The two friends began walking down the path once more, picking up their pace as Rarity's spell led them. They left the spot of their scuffle behind them, where the evidence of their disagreement could still be seen in the shifted mud and broken pieces of bark. They left it behind for what it was - just another unhappy memory, surrounded by the dark and the damp.

However, their unwanted memory was seen by another. One who watched the spectacle with great amusement. Behind where they stood, hidden perfectly in the wilderness, a pair of watchful red orbs shone with sadistic contempt. A flicker of hidden laughter flashed behind them, pleased to have seen such a grand display of the changing world.

Truly, Loyalty was gone from the world.

* * *

><p>Ponyville was no longer quiet. As noon approached, the malicious orb of black began its struggle against the encapsulating magic that held it down. Alongside the struggles came its trademark growls, which seemed to vibrate off every building nearby. The sound reverberated in the minds of any pony unfortunate enough to be nearby, leaving a deep ringing in their ears that they felt, but didn't really <em>know<em> was there.

Princess Luna had departed the library to aid her Canterlot mages in their effort to keep the magic contained. Twilight Sparkle was left alone in the tree library, surrounded by various books of serious subjects. Normally, she would feel right at home among the leafs of knowledge, but without even Spike to keep her company, she felt insignificant.

Not only because of the absence of her friends, either. The fact that the dark magic had so easily defeated her had left her shaken and unconfident in her own ability. It had taken the intervention of the Moon Princess to save her, and even then, Luna held firm that the magic would only grow stronger. Twilight felt that she was thrown into a hopeless battle, like trying to force an avalanche to halt its descent with nothing more than a stone.

And yet, the feeling of insignificance wasn't on her mind at the moment. No, in fact, she was occupied with why Luna, whom she trusted so much, had avoided telling her what kind of dangers Rainbow Dash was facing. It was obvious that the princess knew the truth, or at least what she believed to be the truth. So why all the secrecy? Why all the denial?

Whatever the truth was, Twilight felt certain that it couldn't be worse than what Rainbow had already been forced through. _'Being attacked by dark magic, hearing your idols are dead, and then being blamed for the deed...what could be worse than that?'_ she mused.

Alone in the library and without the direction of Luna, Twilight felt at a loss. She had already exhausted several books related to different magic types, but was meeting the same results as Luna had - nothing. The fact that her thoughts kept drifting back to her old pegasus friend didn't help, either, and before long, Twilight found herself reading the same paragraph over and over again without gaining any real information.

"This is ridiculous." She stood up and trotted over to the library's window, where she could easily see Luna and the Canterlot guard. For a long while, Twilight remained there, simply allowing her thoughts to roam wild.

As the intrusive growls permeated the library's walls time and again, Twilight came to a decision. If Luna didn't want to tell her the truth, then she would simply look for it on her own. After all, their research into the magic itself was making no headway - changing subjects could prove to be far more productive.

Twilight turned and walked to the center of the library, where stacks and piles of books remained. She ignored all of them, instead reaching out with her magic to the shelves. The unicorn grasped a selection of texts, bringing them back to her. She gazed at the titles, pleased to see that all of them had something to do with unusual attacks and unsolved crime mysteries.

"Have it your way, Princess Luna," Twilight said aloud. Her voice was drowned beneath the vibrating growls of the orb. "Let's see what you're not telling me."

**End chapter seven**

Author's comments: I was _not_ expecting this chapter to take so long to finish. The main problem I had with this one was writing out the whole 'fight' scene between Applejack and Rarity, because I love these ponies too damn much, and I hate seeing them fight each other. Still, I wouldn't have it done any other way, and the scene worked out quite well despite my constant writer's blocks.

I wanted to take some time to help explain more about the dark magic, while still giving Luna and Twilight their own personalities and priorities. However, I'm certain I've left _plenty_ of questions to annoy each and every one of you, so don't hesitate to ask with whatever is on your mind.

Co-author's comments: There. See? I told you this chappy wasn't going to be as informative as the previous. It wasn't so bad, was it? ...Was it? C'mon! You can tell me the truth! Applejack was honest in this chapter. What about you?

Anyways. I was honestly worried with Aaron's writer's block, because there was a couple weeks of absolutely nothing being written. I'm glad he was able to pull through, and we were able to finish the chapter. I like how Rarity's personality played out in her scene. You'll know what I'm talking about in a future chapter.

Next chapter: Interlude two of three. While the residents of Ponyville try to settle with the idea of being refugees, two old friends meet up and discuss how their lives are changing.


	8. Interlude: When we were Young

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>The story that's taking WAY too long to be written!<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: No. *Cough* What, you want more? No, I don't own the rights. Isn't that enou- it's not? _I don't own the copyrights to the show or any official product_. All rights go to Faust, Theisson, Hub, Studio B, and Hasbro. There, is _that_ enou- oh shut up.

Hello, everyone, and welcome back. I hope you're enjoying this adventure as much as I am, despite it being on such a smaller scale than my other works. As you've no doubt read from chapter seven, the adventure to find Rainbow Dash is underway, and the investigation of the mysterious dark magic began. And while Luna refused to give Twilight some unhappy facts, Rarity revealed some of hers, inciting a scuffle between her and Applejack.

Now, as you know, this chapter is the second of three interludes. This particular one touches on the last two ponies of Harmony, and then moves on to some passionate young fillies we know so well. Let's begin!

ACT II- _The Pariah_  
><span><strong>Chapter eight:<strong> Interlude II: When we were Young

Canterlot. The grandest, most powerful city in the Equestria region. The home to the divine princesses Celestia and Luna, who govern their land fairly and peacefully. The envy and sentinel of many other cities and villages in the surrounding countryside. The shining example to the prowess of Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies working together. And now, in the path of the approaching Autumn, the refuge to Ponyville evacuees, forced from their home for reasons only a handful knew.

While no doubt affronted by the sudden influx of refugees, the Canterlot high-society ponies made every effort to accommodate them. Celestia herself was kept busy with directing where the Ponyville residents were to go, aided on both sides by Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Together, they managed to find room and board for every marshaled pony, nearly all of whom elected to stay in the safety of Canterlot Castle.

After several hours of tedious directing, the controlled chaos of the exodus finally settled to a tense but gentle hum. The castle lobby was filled with ponies who walked amongst themselves, asking questions in an effort to get a handle on the situation. A constant line of ponies led away to one corner, where the two friends Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were being mobbed with the same questions.

Sadly, they didn't have any answers for them that satisfied the overall question of "what's going on." Princess Celestia managed to pull them away from the herd, much to their shared relief. The trio ascended the grand steps toward one of the several regal towers, no doubt where they could speak in private.

Back on the lobby floor, tired and confused, rested the yellow farm mare Apple Bloom. She watched her old friends leave the room, disappointed at not getting a chance to talk with them. For the first time, she envied the responsibility of the Element Bearers - at least _they_ had the ear of the princess.

"See, that's jus' not fair."

"What is?"

"Princess Celestia is keepin' Fluttashy and Pinkie away from us, even when we deserve some answers. If we're gonna be forced to stay here all confused, Ah think mah head'll turn into cider."

"Heehee, it's not _that_ bad."

To Apple Bloom's right, sitting with a proper posture, was Sweetie Belle. She wore a simple scarf around her neck, the only item she managed to bring before the evacuation occurred. Like her friend, Sweetie was caught completely off-guard by the order to leave Ponyville, but was managing to take the situation better.

Apple Bloom cricked her neck, easing a bit of tension she didn't know she had. "That's easy fer _you_ to say. At least you don't got an apple orchard to look after. All mah trees ain't gonna water themselves, ya know."

"Oh, don't worry about them. I'm sure they'll be fine for a couple days while this mess is cleaned up."

With a sigh, Apple Bloom lowered her head. She closed her eyes, mumbling under her breath. "A mess is all Ah'm gonna have if mah trees ain't cared for."

Sweetie Belle couldn't hold back her giggle. Her eyes drifted toward her friend's flank, where her cutie mark stood proudly. Apple Bloom's talent first came to light when she began caring for a tree sapling a little over a year ago. The baby tree had become sick during the summer, and the rest of her family was prepared to dig out the roots and call it a loss. Apple Bloom stepped in, cared for the tree, and it became a strong addition to the orchard before winter arrived.

That's when she found her talent of caring for the apple trees on her family's farm. While her siblings held their talents in the apples, hers lied in the trees themselves, helping them grow strong and healthy. Ever since finding her calling, the Apple family noticed a general spike in the quality of their fruit, and Apple Bloom had become an integral part of the orchard life. Her cutie mark was testament to that. Sprouting out of a grassy ground, a simple yet strong tree trunk rose up. But instead of branches or leaves, the trunk led into a blooming flower, vibrant with red petals and a yellow center. Some petals floated near the bloom, surrounding the image in a serene grace.

"Your trees are very strong because of how you care for them. Trust me, they can go a few short days without you," Sweetie encouraged. She patted her friends back, hoping to transfer some of her confidence. "When you get back, they'll be waiting for you."

Apple Bloom released a playful snort. "Say, didja manage to hear anythin' from Rarity before bein' hauled off?"

Sweetie Belle nodded, looking at the scarf she was wearing. "Only for a moment. She was in a huge rush to find your sister, so she only told me to find the nearest guard and do whatever he asked. She also told me to not be scared, but didn't say of what."

"See, that's _also_ not fair! Ah haven't seen Applejack since Ah went into town yesterday mornin'. At least you managed to talk to yer sister before being dragged into one o' them cherry-thingies."

"Chariots?"

"Yeah, those."

Both friends spent a moment to grin, allowing the gentle hubbub of the lobby overtake their thoughts. The room moved without them, buzzing with the activity that came with the feeling of needing to stay busy without actually having anything to do. As the moment, passed, Apple Bloom's ears perked - there was a light humming coming from nearby. She recognized it as Sweetie's singing voice.

The farm mare smiled to herself, enjoying the sweet sound. Sweetie Belle's singing prowess had always been a talent of hers, but she hadn't discovered her true calling for it until only the past spring. Apple Bloom remembered it well - it was during a mild spring storm. The two of them had ventured into the Everfree Forest to visit their zebra friend, Zecora, and to procure some exotic seeds. During their trip to her hut, the friends had taken a wrong turn, and Sweetie Belle had fallen down a cliffside, landing on a short ledge. She had been stranded there for hours while Apple Bloom ran for help.

During that time, suffering the cold and wet of the rain, Sweetie Belle had begun singing in order to keep her spirits up. It had not been anything specific - merely songs she knew as a filly, sung over the gentle rolls of thunder overhead. As the storm grew stronger, so did her singing, until all she could think about were the flowing words and notes. Time escaped her, and before she knew it, a rope had been lowered to her, wrapped in the magic of her sister Rarity.

When she had been taken home and cared for, Rarity and Apple Bloom saw her cutie mark, hidden beneath a blotch of mud. Radiant against the white of Sweetie's coat, a pair of silver-bells were seen ringing, each with a light purple hue donning it. Surrounding the bells was a flowing music chart, gently wrapping them like the scarf she now wore. On one bell, a treble clef symbol was seen - on the other, a set of three quarter-notes ascending in an arpeggio.

'_She earned her cutie mark from singin' while she was scared,'_ the earth pony thought. _'I wonder...'_

"Ah guess you are just a lil' scared, huh?"

Sweetie Belle fell silent for a moment, wondering how her friend could tell so easily. "Ye-yeah...I'm worried about Rarity. She seemed very panicked when I saw her."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Apple Bloom looked up. "Ah met up with Spike after landing here yesterday. He told me that our sisters are gonna try to find Rainbow Dash!"

The unicorn stammered. "W-wh-what? You mean the pegasus that Scootaloo looked up to?"

Apple Bloom paused, considering what her friend had just said. "Eeyup, that's her! Spike wouldn't tell me why, though, since he was also in a huge hurry fer some reason."

"Huh. Seems all of our friends are all panicky right now."

"Ah wish Ah knew why."

"Yeah, me too."

Their banter trailed off, both mares feeling the same wave of melancholy settle over them. A sad memory filled their minds, a memory of their missing link. The memory of their own estranged pegasus friend, Scootaloo.

While some ponies believed that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had completed their mission after the two friends found their talents, the bitter truth was that they had abandoned that particular title years ago. Their headstrong third member was, like Rainbow Dash, missing, and nopony knew where she was. She simply vanished a couple weeks following the Wonderbolts tragedy - no note, no clues, no trace.

The memory of their beloved friend ate at both ponies. Like other memories, they recalled Scootaloo vividly, remembering every last detail. And they remembered the first day she was missing in even greater, almost nightmarish, detail. They and their friends had spent the entire week scouring every inch of Ponyville, the Everfree, Cloudsdale, and Canterlot. And in the entire time spent searching, not a single pony had encountered the filly.

"You ever wonder...what her cutie mark might have been?" Sweetie Belle asked quietly.

Her friend gave a sad smile. "It was obvious, wasn't it? She was a gol'darn goddess on that scooter o' hers."

"Heheh, yeah. I bet she would have made a good scooter racer, or even a stuntmare."

For the second time, their conversation trailed off. The simple thought of their friend silenced their words before they formed, and they remained silent for a few moments as the world continued to move on without them.

Just as they had to move on without her.

"Ah miss her," Apple Bloom whispered.

To her right, Sweetie Belle had begun to sing again, louder and clearer than before. The beautifully haunting sound, while meant to cheer her up, only brought hot tears to the farm mare's eyes.

**End chapter eight**

Author's comments: I hope you've enjoyed the break. I really enjoyed writing this, mainly because I've always wanted to make a psuedo-canon version of what the cutie marks of the CMCs would be. I'm not claiming that this is it, of course, but they're the best ideas I've had for them to date.

I hope you imagined Scootaloo in this chapter, because I sure did. Poor girl.

Co-author's comments: Months ago, Aaron asked me "I can't figure out exactly what Applebloom's talent should be. Care to give any thoughts?" I was surprised he asked me this question, because I thought it was something easy to figure out. I replied back to him "First word that comes to mind is the word "bloom" which makes me think of how a farmer actually plants apple trees, and cares for them so that they bloom into epic apple trees later in life." And thus, Aaron got his idea. I love helping the fic with details like this.

Next chapter: Applejack and Rarity find the area where the root of the dark tree has taken shelter. They are not at all prepared for what they find inside, and they must work together in order to overcome their most surprising challenge yet: Rainbow Dash's fears.


	9. The Root

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>An expanding tale from the works of an egoist and a paradox!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Derpy stole my normal jokes, so I'll just tell you true. I don't own the copyrights, so you should not sue. Everything I base this on is owned by other folks. The story is ours, the OCs too, and unfortunately the jokes. (Bad rhyming is bad.)

So hello, everyone. Did you enjoy the short break during the last interlude? I sure did. It was nice seeing Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle again, and hearing their stories about how they earned their cutie marks. Still, it was saddening to be reminded of dear Scootaloo. I wonder what became of her?

But I digress. Everybrony, grab a seat. This is where things begin to turn faster, because our two polar opposite ponies, Applejack and Rarity, find the mare they're looking for. But are they prepared for what they find along with her? I won't bore you with minor bickering - jump in!

ACT II - _The Pariah_**  
>Chapter nine:<strong> The Root

Applejack fell to her haunches atop a solid grey rock. Her vision was beginning to narrow, and a fiery sensation was eating at her throat. Her hat rested behind her neck, her mane was a tangled mess, and her breathing was short and raspy. Even for being a farm mare, climbing a cliff this steep was an extreme challenge. The fact that many rocky platforms were loose was not helping - four times already, she was forced to jump from one ledge to another, barely avoiding being dragged down a few yards.

She coughed, and a spat of bile landed in front of her. With a groan, she reached back into her saddlebag, grabbing the one thing on her mind: her canteen. The sound of water sloshing within was as heavenly as the Sun Princess to a pilgrim. With a grunt and a twist of her jaw, the canteen was open, and she downed a third of its contents.

"Gaaaah!" she exhaled, relishing the taste of spring water. As the fluid coursed through her, her vision sharpened and the fire in her throat was doused to a mild irritant. She rested on the rough rock for a moment, allowing her travelling companion to catch up.

Rarity followed her friend's example, collapsing on a rocking platform just below Applejack's own. The unicorn was a far sight worse - her right forehoof had struck a gnarled root some time ago, and a tight bandage helped zero-in on the small dot of red that marred her otherwise perfect coat. She had emptied her own canteen long ago, and was suffering for it.

Applejack looked down upon the unicorn's dirtied form. She ignored all of the dust, scuff marks, and tangles that stood amiss from Rarity's normal visage; instead, she stared directly at her horn, and the activity surrounding it. It was that horn that was giving them strength to climb this hillside.

Rarity's horn was awash with a strong, vibrating hue of purple. Her tracking magic, which was augmented with Luna's binding, had become far more active since they left the Everfree border. And it seemed that for every yard the pair walked, the stronger the vibration became.

They were closing in.

Despite their severe fatigue, the fact that the tracking magic was at its most active brought a calm determination to both ponies. They looked at each other through their labored breaths, and saw their resolve angled back at them. For one, the prospect of reuniting with a lost friend; for the other, the chance to set things right with her home.

Rarity grunted, rounding her thoughts back to her tracking spell. Her eyes were drawn to a point above them, a small cave nestled among the rocky hillside. The cave was simple, and the mouth standard - there was nothing special about it whatsoever. But to the two searchers, it meant everything.

The unicorn and the farmer rose to their hooves once more, redoubling their efforts to scale the cliff. Time seemed to slow as they neared the cave's mouth, and the anxiety grew heavy on them, making their ascent all the more difficult. As they scaled the stone, Applejack couldn't help but notice the world around her - the sun-warmed stones beneath her hooves, the dry winds growing harsher, the white-and-grey billows of cloud speeding overhead. She swallowed, her saliva thickened from her still-present thirst. She smelled the last summer rain on the air. It seemed like the fate of the world depended on whether or not she could find her friend. For reasons Applejack didn't pursue, that thought caused her disquiet.

The orange mare jumped upward, hooking her hooves over the cave entrance. She pumped her hind legs on the rock face, pulling herself up and over, before reaching down to help Rarity do the same. The pair took a moment to catch their breath and gaze into the imperfect darkness the cave provided.

"In there," Rarity whispered. "Rainbow Dash is in there, somewhere."

Applejack blinked, using her fatigue to quell her inner excitement. "You sure of that?"

"Absolutely."

A hot wetness fell on the farm pony's cheek - a warm rain had begun to fall, the last summer shower before autumn began. The feeling of it caused a memory to flash in her mind, the memory of the last time she had stood in the rain, looking at where her best friend had gone.

Except back then, the rain was fierce and cold. Now, it fell on them light and warm, almost reassuring. Applejack wasn't a very spiritual mare - she had never found the time for it - but she felt that, were she one, she would have considered this a sign. A sign that she would succeed.

The two ponies stepped into the dim cave, Rarity providing light from her spell. She paused, tilting her head and murmuring beneath her breath. "Mmm...that can't be..."

"What's wrong?"

"This spell," she began. "It's not perfect, or else I'm just not understanding it. I've led us here, but I can't pinpoint exactly where Rainbow Dash is."

Applejack huffed, more disappointed than she showed. "Well, fine. Guess we'll just look the ol' fashioned way."

As the two stepped into the cave proper, Rarity poured a little more power into her spell - which, to say, wasn't much. After running the spell nearly nonstop for two days, her energy was tapped. She was running on faith and determination alone. The power that she managed to wrest allowed a stronger purple light to shine in front of her, throwing the innards of the cave into an eerie light. The color unnerved her, and she paused.

Applejack, however, wouldn't be held. She moved forward with a purpose, sticking close to the inner wall for guidance. From what little light there was, the earth pony could see that it wasn't a very deep cave. It was enough for shelter from a storm, perhaps. Which was good - it meant less ground for her to cover.

"Oh!" Rarity gasped. "Look there."

Applejack turned to the wall she was guiding by, looking at what had caught Rarity's attention. On a small stone in the wall rested a rough stick of charcoal. And nearby were drawings.

"What in..." the farm mare breathed. She waved the unicorn closer in order to shine more light on the wall.

The images on the stone wall were alighted, one by one, waving from the left to the right. Crude though they were, the pictures were clear enough to see what they actually were. What the ponies saw allowed both of them to feel a tug of nostalgia.

The first picture was a view of Ponyville, drawn in the black charcoal with no effort for extended detail. The buildings and roads were all sketched in from memory, and the image expanded to encompass everything from Sweet Apple Acres to the edge of the Everfree Forest. Even the clock tower of town hall was drawn in, though judging by the disproportionate scaling, it was an afterthought.

Further down, much to the surprise of the two friends, was a thoroughly-darkened emblem of the Wonderbolts. While it wasn't perfect, it was easy to see the jagged lightning-bolt with the pair of feathered wings. However, the image seemed blurred - somepony had run a hoof over the picture, smearing the grains of coal to and fro.

Rarity and Applejack spent another moment in front of the emblem before moving on, seeing a third drawing donning the third one gave pause to both ponies.

Assembled in a half-circle was a group of five equines. They all stood, facing a single point inside their formation (on the wall, they seemed to be facing the floor). The spot where they were all looking was a blacked-out spot, a crude O-shape that had been filled in. Beneath each pony was a symbol - one was a star, another was an apple, the next was a butterfly, then followed a diamond and a balloon. Beneath the blackened circle was a lightning bolt.

Applejack couldn't help but voice her thoughts. "Is this..._us_?"

Her unicorn friend replied in a whisper. "I think it is."

The farm mare continued to gaze at the drawing for a moment, trying to discern a meaning from it. The simple truth was that she had a number of possible meanings flitting about in her mind - the challenge was choosing one that made sense without making her feel bad.

The light shifted with Rarity, who had seen a fourth image further away. "Oh!" she gasped for the second time. This final one sent a mild shiver up her spine. It was a direct likeness to the dark magic that had attacked the Wonderbolts at the cloudiseum, drawn in surprising detail. It wasn't an orb, like what had assaulted Ponyville; rather, it was akin to a wave, wide yet flat. Spurts of the white lines were transcribed as blank areas in the wave, and they seemed to crawl all over the spell.

The depiction of the magic was much larger than any of the previous drawings - it was easily four times their size put together. Were it not for the monochromatic color of the charcoal, Rarity would have thought it looked real. However, the feeling of fear it gave her was not imagined. Littered on the ground at her hooves were spent charcoal sticks, consumed beyond use during the act of drawing.

A movement next to her made her jump. She was so engrossed with the mural's final image, she had temporarily forgotten that she wasn't alone.

"What in..." Applejack breathed. "Now that's jus' downright scary. Why would she draw somethin' like that?"

'_Because she's scared of it,'_ Rarity thought. "I cannot imagine why," she said aloud.

The two of them spent another moment gazing at the collection of drawings before stepping further into the cavern. As Applejack had surmised, the cave didn't reach too deeply into the hills - however, the light of Rarity's horn didn't penetrate very far, and the pair had to squint in order to see where they were walking.

"Stick to the wall," Applejack advised. "We can use it as a guide if we have to."

On the pair scoured. Keeping their left sides to the rocky wall, Rarity led the way forward into the darkness. They moved slowly, careful to not overlook anything that might be a flash of blue or an assortment of various colors.

Three minutes slowly crawled by, and the friends found themselves at the back end of the cave. Here, the darkness seemed omnipresent, eating away at the intruding light of Rarity's spell. Just as the unicorn was starting to lose hope, she felt something round and firm beneath her hoof. She looked down (Applejack nearly bumped into her), spotting a roughed and dirtied feather. It was a light blue color.

A sense of elation swept through the pair. Near the feather, several more were spotted, each one as damaged as the first. Curious, Applejack bent her head to grab one of the feathers in her mouth.

When she moved, Rarity spotted something right next to them. A flash of white in the darkness, very sudden and completely silent. In a split second, the unicorn had a flash of memory, one of the orb that had nearly killed Twilight Sparkle. The orb that had the dancing white lines, always flashing and moving.

She screamed, jumping backward on instinct. The shock of the flash had broken her focus on her spell, and the magic around her horn faded instantly. But instead of being plunged into darkness like the two knew should have happened, another light source appeared that gazed upon them.

No, not one light source. There were two, a pair of bright circles in the imperfect darkness. They were tilted, angling softly toward the cold floor. And they were flashing on and off...like they were _blinking_.

Conquering her initial shock, Rarity focused her magic once more, this time just to spread light around them. As the darkness retreated, the two circles remained - but there was a dark mass attached to the circles. A larger ball encompassed the two lights, which led down to a curved mass. The central mass had leg-like growths in four places, one of which was extended toward the floor. From the end of that mass and the top of the larger ball, a pile of long strings were pouring out like a stream.

The two friends stared at this body for a _very_ long moment. The silence was constantly broken by their breathing, hardened by the adrenaline pumping through them. Finally calming down, Applejack spoke.

"Is...is that _you_?" she asked it. "R-Rainbow Dash?"

The two white circles were actually eyes, the growths were indeed legs, and the streaming strings were a mane and tail. All were devoid of color.

She was unlike anything they were expecting. Where her sky-blue coat was, now flowed an eerie "suit" of black, blue, and grey. It wasn't cloth, wool, or any fabric whatsoever - the material was antimatter, magical, unbelievable. Telltale lines of white shot around the suit, and that allowed the two to realize that it wasn't a suit at all. It was the same magic that was bound to Rainbow Dash, the same that attacked Ponyville, the same that killed the Wonderbolts. They knew that it was the same dark spot that had marked her stomach when she was in the hospital all those years ago; the spot had expanded to cover her entire body, capturing every inch of exposed coat, hoof, and feather.

Applejack couldn't help but stare at her, taking in every horrifying detail - the malicious glow, the dancing lines, the way her body was starved and weak. Even her mane and tail was faded, and they looked sickly in what little light was provided. But the worst, the absolute worst, were the eyes. Rainbow's eyes were _gone_, buried beneath the magic. In their place were two blank fields of pure white, radiance against the nightmarish magic. They were like two beams of sunlight caught in a pair of flight goggles. Rainbow Dash could still see through the magic, but the sight of those eyes forced both of the travelers to halt.

The farm mare gathered her wits. She forced herself to look past the glowing orbs of white, to see beyond the drooping wings and the thin body. She told herself that this was who she was looking for. Rainbow Dash was here, alive, in front of her. Applejack tried to talk, she tried so hard, but she couldn't - her throat had gone drier than before when she was on the rocks.

The figure before them, Rainbow Dash, very slowly sat up. She supported most of her weight on her forelegs, and it was clearly a struggle to stay upright. Her head tilted toward the pair, looking at them through those blank eyes of white. After a long moment where the only sound was the summer rain outside, Rainbow...smiled. It was a sad smile - a tortured smile.

"Hey, Applejack," she spoke. Her voice was a sad sound, weak and hollow and unused. "Hey, Rarity."

The words took the two even further aback. Here they were, finally meeting after four long years, and she had just greeted them as though they had met only a day before. The familiarity in her tone was stunning and completely unexpected.

Applejack finally forced a sound. "Uh...h-hey there, Rainbow D-Dash. H...How're ya doin'?"

She chuckled, yet another sound neither pony was expecting. "Oh, good, I guess. I'm tired all the time...this place gets pretty cozy once you get used to it." She pushed herself a little higher, barely gaining an inch. "What about you? How's the orchard?"

"It's good, it's good," she began, blurting out the words. "We, uh, we're preparing the big harvest for the winter months comin', so we're busy as usual. You should see Apple Bloom - she's grown."

Rainbow nodded weakly, turning her attention to the unicorn. "And how about you, Rarity? How has your shop been?"

Rarity had a harder time forming words than Applejack had. She stuttered, unable to grasp at a statement. "My...my shop? Oh, well...it's..." After a brief moment of fumbling, she finally broke down and asked. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, what has _happened_ to you?"

"Oh, this?" she asked, looking down at her darkened body with the eyes of white. "It just sort of happened over time...I can't really control it. It's not that bad - it helps keeps me alive, believe it or not."

Rarity gasped. "N-_not that bad_? But that's...th-that's the magic that..."

"That attacked and killed the Wonderbolts, yeah, I know. There's not much I can do about it, though, is there?"

Rainbow began to talk in earnest. She told them about the night she had fled Ponyville, and how she had braved the storm that had hidden her from anyone looking for her. The storm that night had been extremely active, and Rainbow had made the desperate mistake of charging right into it. It didn't take long for a charge of lightning to knock her off course and send her careening into the hillside.

"It was awful," she explained. "The shock had burned my nerves for a long while, so I wasn't able to move much after I landed...if you could call it landing. I was forced to lie down and bear the brunt of the rain."

_Bearing the brunt_ was a light way of putting it. The truth she didn't mention was that she had nearly died from contacting the rock, then once more due to exposure to the rain. Illness was inevitable, and Rainbow had very quickly caught fever after making her way to the cave. She had remained still for days, unable to fight the fever, the magic plaguing her body, or most importantly, her despair.

However, miraculously, she recovered. Less than a week after she had fled her home, her fever had broken with no traces that it had ever been there. The magic surrounding her continued to expand, slowly overtaking every inch of exposed pegasus. And with every inch lost, she burned.

The magic was not settling into Rainbow's system - it was assimilating it. No matter what methods she tried to remove the magic, it endured.

Being alone with the murderous magic had only deepened the grief she was feeling. Several times, Rainbow had considered (and attempted) what many would call the "coward's way out" in order to free herself from the magic. The first time, she had tossed herself off one of the many cliffsides that the hilly region provided.

Applejack and Rarity backed up, horrified. "You didn't..." the unicorn breathed, unable to grasp a complete thought.

Rainbow nodded slowly, continuing. "I did. The drop should have made a quick suicide for me, but...this magic helps keep me alive."

For a moment, Applejack's mind raced. _'That's the second time she's said that. 'Keeps her alive.' Does she mean that the magic...won't _let_ her die?'_

"I didn't even hit the rocks," the exile went on. "My wings opened and I flew back up to the cave. At first I thought I had just chickened out...but after trying it again, I realized it was the magic doing it to me."

"You tried it _again_?" sounded Rarity's frightened voice. She couldn't even comprehend the notion of suicide, least of all on one of her friends. Such an action seemed so unnatural, it would have been impossible.

Rainbow Dash laughed again, a half-choked echo of what she once was. "Sad, isn't it? It was around that time that this magic stopped growing, and I eventually got used to the burning. It's just a dull feeling now...like a bruise." Her head jerked, and she lowered her gaze to the ledge she rested on. "Heh, Fluttershy described this as a 'bruise,' you know. But I doubt anyone's seen one quite like this."

It dawned on them both: Rainbow Dash was a prisoner to this magic. She didn't control it. In fact, it was the other way around.

A _very_ uncomfortable silence befell them. Rainbow continued to smile that sad half-smile, while Applejack and Rarity struggled to form their thoughts. The story of the pegasus had left a sour taste in their mouths. Both were having trouble grasping the notion of Rainbow's suffering since her flight. They had never imagined she would have fallen so far from grace.

It was like the Rainbow Dash before them wasn't even the same pony they had known.

"How did you find me?"

The orange earth pony jumped. "Wh-what?"

"How did you find me?" Rainbow patiently repeated. "I thought I was far enough away to keep you safe."

"Safe? Safe from what?"

Rainbow paused, lifting her right foreleg - her left nearly collapsed under her weight, she was so weak. "From this," she said. "From me."

"From you?" Applejack replied. "Why would we need to be kept safe from you?" To her right, Rarity glanced at her, as though the unicorn had an answer on her lips. However, she remained silent.

Rainbow set her leg down, looking into the farm mare's face. Applejack inched back involuntarily. Those eyes...

"Applejack, the last time I saw you, I avoided you and ran off. I shoved Fluttershy away when she wanted to help me. I even hurt Spitfire while she was in the air. Who knows what I might do to you next? I don't want to hurt you."

The orange pony gathered her wits. "I'm not gonna let somethin' like that stop me from helping you, Rainbow Dash." She stepped forward, extending a hoof.

A bubbling force crawled up Rainbows throat. "Stay away!" the exile cried. Her body shook; she was on the verge of tears. "Please, just go away! Forget you found me...forget I ever existed! It's better that way!"

Applejack pulled her hoof back, suddenly unsure of how to act. She and Rarity looked at Rainbow with a mix of concern, trepidation, and pity. It occurred to them that, when they left Ponyville, they both simply thought they could find their friend and bring her home without trouble. Neither had expected to find Rainbow in a sorry state, least of all one as sorry as this. The two were at a loss.

Rainbow Dash curled herself tighter, quietly pleading. "Please...please just leave...leave me and move on..."

"Sweetheart," Rarity began, taking a step forward. "I'm afraid we need you to come back with us."

The pegasus lifted her blank eyes, gazing at Rarity with what appeared to be abjection. She said nothing.

"Listen...something's happened. This magic that's bound to you? Some of it is in Ponyville right now, and it's attacked us. We need you to come back so we can get rid of it."

"There's...there's more?" she whispered.

"Mmm," Rarity nodded. "It seems that some part of...whatever is on you, broke off and made its way down to Ponyville. We barely managed to get it held down-"

"Part of me?"

Rainbow lifted her head by a fraction, gazing straight into Rarity's eyes. The unicorn was stared into silence.

"Part of me?" she repeated. "That's not possible."

The two ponies in front of her exchanged glances. "It's the same kind as the that hit you durin' the tryouts. All the same traits an' everythin'."

"Trust me, it would be obvious if any of the magic on me had left me to go somewhere else. I would be dead."

Applejack paused, not expecting to hear the word. "What?"

"I would be dead, Applejack. This magic helps keep me alive."

"But what does that have to-"

"You don't see any scraps of food around here, do you?"

A quick glance around confirmed Rainbow's point - not a single crumb or peel was anywhere to be found. Neither did they remember seeing any on their walk into the cave, or any area in between the entrance and this spot.

Rarity narrowed her eyes, both scared and suspicious. "How long has it been since you've last eaten?"

Rainbow sighed, tilting her head back - the orbs of white seemed to narrow to thin lines. "Must have been...during my first week here, when I had the fever. There was a mushroom that was just outside...heh, it never grew again."

"My Steed!" the fashionista cried. "That's four years! You haven't eaten anything in four years?"

In response, Rainbow lifted her wing, which took considerable effort. She revealed her body, which curved inwardly at a sickening angle. Her ribcage was easily exposed against the darkness of the magic.

"Goodness..." Rarity whispered. The sight of Rainbow's starved body was more unnerving than her whited-out eyes.

"If any part of this magic in me had changed, then I wouldn't be talking with you right now," Rainbow continued. "This magic is the only thing keeping me alive at this point...despite my best efforts."

"Buh-but..."

"Sorry, but you're mistaken. Whatever is attacking Ponyville, it didn't come from me. Going back won't help you...I'm sure that I might end up hurting more innocent ponies if I went near them."

Applejack started forward. "Rainbow!" she cried.

"You should leave."

The orange farmer wouldn't have it. She shook her head violently, knocking her hat off-balance. "I didn't come all this way jus' to leave empty-hooved, Rainbow! You need to come back! You've _got_ to!"

Rainbow did something that Applejack couldn't argue against. Instead of getting riled up and shouting back like she would have done, Rainbow Dash quietly turned her head to face the nearby wall. She slowly lowered herself to the ledge, resting her frail body on the stone. Such a final movement halted any rebuttal Applejack may have had. She stood there, dumbfounded.

A tense moment passed in which the three didn't speak. Applejack turned away, hurt and angry, unwilling to believe any of what she had just seen. Moving into the darkness, she ran her hoof against a sharp stone - the resulting pain fueled her anger. Rarity moved to her side, casting her light about them both. Glancing to her left, the earth pony showed some of her inner anger.

"Go ahead, Rarity. Say it."

The unicorn blinked. "What do you..."

"Say it already. You were right. This Rainbow ain't...she ain't the same gal I knew, way back then." Their words, though quieted, echoed back to the bound pony behind them.

"Oh, I see," Rarity murmured. "I'm not going to say it, dear. I...didn't want to believe it myself."

Applejack paused, then gave a shallow nod. She felt a small relief in knowing that Rarity wasn't as narrow-minded as she had seemed back in the forest. "So what the hay are we supposed to do now? We were relyin' on Rainbow to come back with us...our plan is a dud."

With a sigh, Rarity conceded. "I don't really know. I suppose our only option is to head back to Ponyville and tell Luna what's happened."

Behind them, Rainbow's magic-covered ears twitched and perked. _'Luna?'_ she thought. _'The princess is there?'_ An idea began to form in her head, one that she had considered several times before.

"Ya think she an' Twilight might have a different plan?" Applejack asked, starting to walk away.

"Perhaps. But they're our best hope now. I just hope it won't be too late..."

Rainbow Dash raised her head. "Wait," she called. "You never answered my question."

Slowly, the two travelers turned back toward the exile. "Question?" Rarity echoed.

"How did you find me?"

Again, Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances. After a few seconds' hesitation, the unicorn answered. "Princess Luna was able to bind a segment of the magic - the one that's in Ponyville - to my tracking spell. I've been using it for the last two days, and we were led through the Everfree Forest to these hills."

Rainbow gazed at them with a poker face that would make any statue jealous. "Princess Luna? She's in Ponyville?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

Applejack chimed in. "When the magic attacked the town, it went straight for Rarity and Twi. Soon enough, it became too strong for them to handle. Celestia, Luna, an' their guard came down to help, right in the nick of time. If Luna hadn't arrived when she did, Twilight would'a been..."

She paused, losing a bit of her nerve to say that her friend had nearly been killed, _to_ a friend some ponies thought was dead. She cleared her throat and ended with "...she saved Twilight."

Rainbow was silent for a moment. The only thing that the travelers could see were her two whited-out eyes, blinking slowly as she thought some unknown thought. Finally, she closed her eyes.

"I'll go."

The words echoed around their heads for a while, allowing each of them to ponder their simple meaning. Holding down her rising hope, the farm mare took one step forward. "You will?"

Rainbow Dash waited a beat, then nodded. "I'll go back to Ponyville with you."

Rarity floated a small apple from her saddlebag to her mouth, biting down into the meat of the fruit. The juices, normally sweet and refreshing, were lost to her as she stared over the Everfree Forest. While she chewed on the apple, she also chewed over her thoughts. Something about her encounter with Rainbow Dash - besides the blatantly obvious - didn't seem right.

'_There may be more to this than I thought at first,'_ she mused while she ate. _'That image of the magic...there's no way Rainbow drew that with an intent to revere it. And the way she spoke to us makes me think she's scared of the magic far more than she's letting on._

'_Even that's not the most perplexing part. She was so set on staying here, away from Ponyville, but as soon as she heard Luna's name, she changed her mind. Why?'_

The summer rain began to recede, leaving in its wake a perilous climb down the hills. The scent of cooling rock was refreshing after the dank humidity of the cave. Rarity took another bite. _'There's something that I don't know about, that's obvious. What could Luna have that would sway Rainbow's decision so quickly? She could be relying on the princess to help her with the magic...no, that was going to happen when she was in the hospital. She still ran away. There's something else.'_

A sharp pain coursed through her teeth - in her distracted state, Rarity had bitten into the core of the apple, bringing one of the dense seeds between her molars. She coughed out the seed on instinct, not at all concerned about appearing ladylike. A quick glance at the apple revealed it had been totally exhausted, leaving only the stem and core.

She discarded the apple core, watching it contact the rocky path she would soon take. _'What am I missing?'_ she chided.

A development behind her caught her attention. Applejack was slowly emerging from the cave, with a struggling Rainbow Dash hanging on to her for support. Now that she was in the natural light of the sun, Rarity could appreciate the full state of her long-lost friend. Her body was so frail, she could barely stand on her own. Even her wings were grazing the ground - it seemed that she couldn't focus on keeping her balance and have her wings tucked to her side at the same time. Her gaze was locked on the ground in front of her, and her right foreleg was draped over Applejack's shoulders. She slowly moved forward on three legs, baring her teeth in fierce concentration.

"I'm not sure we should head back to Ponyville so soon," Applejack announced. "We can wait a day, can't we?"

Before Rarity could speak, Rainbow grunted. "Waiting a day isn't...isn't going to make the trip any easier. We might as well get...this over with."

"But Rainbow-"

"Besides," she interrupted, "you said that orb in Ponyville was growing stronger. If we wait..."

The pegasus took another step forward, pulling Applejack with her toward the cave mouth. Moving together, the pair easily reached Rarity's side.

"I suppose you have a point," the unicorn admitted. "But are you...sure you want to do this, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow locked gazes with Rarity, blank white meeting concerned blue. "Yeah," she rasped. "I'm sure."

"If I may ask...why?"

After a moment's pause, Rainbow tore her gaze away, looking again at the ground beneath her hooves. "I'm sure that, if anypony can help me with this magic, the princess can. Her or Celestia...they've got to know what to do, right?"

Rarity narrowed her gaze. _'She's lying...or at least avoiding the actual truth. I'm sure of it.'_

"Yeah, they've got to," Applejack echoed. "Alright, then...ready to go home?"

With a nod, the exile grinned. "Yeah."

Slowly, carefully, the trio began their descent. Though slowed by the moistened rocks and mud of the hilly region, their progress was steady. Rainbow leaned on Applejack for support, with Rarity leading the journey to their home. They made a curious group - two bedraggled travellers accompanied by a pony bound to an unknown spell.

Applejack looked up as they entered the edge of Everfree. The clouds were moving on, and the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, setting the sky aflame with vibrant reds and oranges. The light of the sky was broken by the boughs of the trees, and for the second time that day, the farm mare was facing an imperfect darkness.

However, unlike before, Applejack felt a calm within her. A certain pressure along her shoulders was proof that she finally had her friend back. That knowledge gave her courage to journey into the darkness of the forest, which would soon be perfectly dark with the approaching night. She couldn't hold back a small smile. Right now, she didn't care about whether or not Luna could help. Rainbow was alive, and returning home.

That, for now, was enough.

**End chapter nine**

Author's comments: (Happy second season of MLP!) Sheesh, I did _not_ expect this one to be so difficult forthcoming. I don't envy you talented writers who specialize in dialogue and drama, because this chapter very nearly kicked my ass. I knew the beginnings of stories were hard to write...I guess I never expected the middles to be even harder.

I digress. Rainbow Dash is back into the swing of things, everyone. Be prepared for yet more twists, because our journey is far from over!

Co-author's comments: Not much to say for the chapter itself. It seemed to gruel along filling lots of plot holes. I don't blame any of you fine readers if you didn't enjoy this chapter as much as the previous ones. However, things start to move along as the next chapters begin to unfold, so stay tuned! As my lovely brony friend up there said: "Our journey is far from over!"

Next chapter: Elation abounds as Rainbow Dash is reunited with her long-lost friends. After a successful spell which safely separates Rainbow from the magic, everypony seems confident that their troubles are at an end. However, one certain stallion will make sure that their troubles are just beginning. "Your Harmony lies...broken."


	10. Defiance

**Rain without Rainbows**

Ponies are more important than games!

Author: Leoshi

Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Princess Cadence locked me in a dark cavern, and said I couldn't come out until I claimed ownership over MLP. Well, I guess I'd better get comfortable down here. Oh, and if you see Lauren Faust, Jason Theisson, the Hub, Hasbro, and Studio B, give them my thanks for making such a stellar show.

Here we are, back again. For those just joining us (why?), you should know that the trip Applejack and Rarity underwent to find Rainbow Dash was successful! After some tense conversation, the pegasus was convinced to return home with her friends and face whatever troubles have befallen the town.

As for this next one, you're about to be taken for a ride. Yes, Rainbow reunites with her friends, and yes, she becomes freed from the magic that's plagued her. And, in case you're wondering, yes, something bad _is_ going to happen. This is gonna be a long one (10K+ words), so strap in!

ACT II - _The Pariah_  
><span><strong>Chapter ten:<strong> Defiance

Cold dirt once more gave way to sharp hoof as Applejack descended the same hillside she had scaled five days prior. It was mid-morning; the denizens of Equestria were already awake and tending to their daily business. All save those from Ponyville, who were forced from their home and thus unable to do more than be patient. Ponyville itself was occupied with much different folk - Applejack could see the unclear forms of Canterlot guardponies, dashing to and fro with their tasks.

Rarity was further along, her head lowered as her severe fatigue threatened to topple her where she stood. She had long since halted any use of magic - even providing light in the Everfree Forest had given her a migraine. She, too, was gazing upon Ponyville in the distance, allowing a flutter of elation in the possibility that it might be saved, very soon.

Rainbow Dash, however, was apprehensive. She paused where she stood, looking upon the scene in the town with a growing sense of anxiety. Even though her friends had described the magical sphere to her, she was unable to see it well beneath the magic which held it down - to her, it looked like a dark spot against the green and brown of the terrain. However, that only allowed her imagination to form her own picture of it, a picture which scared her.

To her left, Applejack looked over. She had sensed the exile's nervousness. "Hey, Rainbow?" she plied.

Rainbow glanced over, her blank eyes focusing on the farm mare. "Yes?"

"I'm here for ya," Applejack assured. "Stay with me, alright?"

Rainbow was far from in good health, but she had managed enough strength to walk on her own. The trip was agonizingly slow, taking them three days to return on the same path that had taken only two days on the first hike. She had tried to eat the food her friends had offered her, but wasn't able to swallow much. Not that she wanted to; in fact, she had grown so accustomed to the feeling of starvation, she would have sooner avoided eating altogether. The only reason she bit into the apples and hay was to ease the worry her old friends were sharing. Naturally, the weight of the food only made her severe hunger more pronounced.

All the same, she was walking on her own. Slowly, of course, but walking.

The three made their way down the hill. In very little time, they were entering the territory of their town, crossing the path that wound past Fluttershy's cottage. Despite not having seen the town in so long, Rainbow didn't take time to admire the sight. She seemed occupied with her thoughts on the magic that was trapped in the town center.

Before long, they entered the town proper, turning around the corner of the marketplace. And there, finally, was the full view of the magic orb, trapped beneath the corona of combined magic from the Canterlot unicorns. Not that anypony could tell - the orb had grown exponentially, easily towering over the unicorns, the shop wagons, and even the light poles surrounding them. Thankfully, it was not vibrating with the trademark growls, but that didn't make the image any less frightening.

Rarity breathed in anxiety. "It's so much larger than when we left," she noted.

Each of the Canterlot unicorns were pouring their power into the magic that held down the assaulting orb. Several of them were sweating with fatigue, their resolve to help the only thing keeping them standing. A few who saw the newcomers nearly lost focus, and scrambled to regain their hold.

Rainbow Dash was rooted to the spot, unable to look away. She wasn't able to see the orb - the unicorns' magic kept the view from her. Rather, she _felt_ it, her body tingling with the sensation of being watched. The feeling scared her, and coupled with the fact that the magic was similar to what had killed her idols, she was flooded with fear.

Applejack walked up to her, gently placing a foreleg across her shoulders. "Stay with me," she urged.

Rainbow Dash swallowed a lump in her throat, forcing herself to turn away from the sight. She slowly moved on, desperate to get away from the dark orb, yet scared to make any sudden movement.

A set of knocks sounded at the library door, drawing the aggravation of Princess Luna. She had specifically instructed that her guards do away with the niceties of knocking during such a crisis. If an emergency were to happen, the few seconds wasted on the knocks and replies could mean the integrity of her efforts going awry. With a scowl, she rose from the book over which she was mulling - which was easily denser than a grown dragon's scale - and moved to the doorway.

The door glowed with the navy-blue of her magic, soon opening with barely a sound. "Report," she commanded, "and it had better be good."

"Well ain't you in a dandy mood today."

Luna's coat bristled, offended. She turned her gaze downward, a retort on her lips, ready to reprimand the cocky guard. But when she finally bothered to open her eyes, she saw no guard before her. What she _did_ see, however, halted her words.

Grouped tightly together were the two mares she had tasked with the most important mission of finding Rainbow Dash. In front of her, Rarity stood disheveled, her eyes bloodshot and her mane a disaster. Behind the unicorn was Applejack, tired but jubilant, the glimmer of triumph in her green eyes. And there, between the two, stood somepony she didn't recognize.

Standing aloof, the newcomer kept her head down, trying to hide behind the purple tail of Rarity. The darkness of her coat contrasted sharply with the neutral dirt underhoof, ruining any chance she had of blending in. What was more, she wore goggles which were a drastic white against her coat of blue-black.

"We found her," Rarity said.

Luna, unable to believe the words, stood still and looked at the third mare once more. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the pony who was shying away wasn't wearing goggles at all. Her eyes were white, wide, and blank. Her mane held several shades of grey, and her coat was _moving_ in the same manner as the magic which the guards currently held down.

The sight of Rainbow Dash left Luna without words. Even she hadn't been expecting _this_.

A noise behind her caught her ire. "Rarity! Applejack!" sounded a voice, shortly accompanied by a darting furry _thing_ that ran past Luna's hind leg. The thing, of course, was Twilight Sparkle, who had rushed to greet her friends in her excitement. They hugged, tired and filthy and happy.

Rainbow Dash tried to shy away even further, taking one small step away from the library door. She didn't get far, however, due to Applejack blocking her only route of escape. In a few short seconds, the exile was forced to meet the gaze of a certain lavender unicorn.

Twilight looked upon Rainbow with nothing short of abject sadness. The unicorn struggled to form words, but the sight of her long-lost friend in such a state left her unprepared. As for the pegasus, she gave a weak, sad smile, just as she had smiled in the caves.

With a half-choked sob, Twilight rushed Rainbow, pulling her into a tight embrace. She hugged her with all the years she had been gone, all the smaller adventures she had missed. Though the lavender unicorn still wanted to speak, she was content to go without words, just this once. Her contact with the magical suit was giving an uncomfortable tingle on her coat. It was harmless, but unwanted nonetheless.

Slowly and awkwardly, Rainbow Dash wrapped a foreleg around Twilight and returned the embrace. "Hey," she managed to say. "How's your studying going?"

The question was so simple, so sudden, and so incredibly stupid that Twilight couldn't help but laugh. She released the hug and stepped back, smiling with the knowledge that Rainbow was, indeed, alive. For the first time since being attacked five days previously, Twilight Sparkle felt a calm happiness settle over her. She knew it couldn't last, but for now it would be enough.

"Miss Rainbow Dash," Luna began.

The group of reunited friends all turned to look at the princess. They were taken aback to find her staring sharply down upon them. Luna, for all intents and purposes, seemed to be judging her.

"How do you feel?"

All eyes turned to Rainbow, who tried to stand a little taller. She lost her footing. "Not good."

"Are you ready to help save your town?" the moon regent continued, taking one royal step forward.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I...yeah."

For a moment, nopony said anything. Luna continued to gaze on Rainbow, who was trying her best to stand a little taller without stumbling. The moment passed, and Luna waved over a Canterlot guard. A pegasus.

"Fly to the capital," she told the guard, "and go directly to my sister. Tell her that Rainbow Dash has returned."

"Yes, your highness," the pegasus replied. "Will she need to know anything else?"

"No, she will know what to do. Now fly."

The guard took off without a moment's hesitation. Luna turned around and entered the library, closely followed by the four ponies behind her. With a soft flick of her head, she closed the door. As the four friends moved to one side of the library, Luna remained in the middle, keeping her thoughts to herself.

Twilight brought out some water for her friends. Rarity drank greedily, sitting on her haunches and enjoying the well-earned reprieve. Rainbow Dash refused the offer, choosing instead to sit in silence. Her blank eyes were trained on the floor - she no longer bothered with trying to appear tall. For the moment, she remained meek and quiet.

Twilight moved to Applejack's side. "How is she?" the unicorn whispered.

"Terrible," the farm mare whispered back. She took a long drink of her water, enjoying the refreshing taste. "I dunno how she's managed all these years. Whatever's in her, it's nothin' friendly, I can tell ya that."

The two of them gazed at Rainbow's backside, marveling at how thin and frail she was. She should be dead, but she wasn't - that fact alone both excited and scared Twilight.

"Rarity thinks that she's planning somethin'," Applejack continued.

The purple-coated pony leaned closer. "Planning something? Like what?"

"That's the thing - I dunno. I betcha Rarity's jus' being a tad short on her cider. I mean, Rainbow's gotta want to come back, right? Jus' look at her."

"Yeah," Twilight murmured, lost in her own sea of thoughts. "Yeah, she's got to."

Several minutes passed by in the tense silence. Each pony remained occupied with her own thoughts, and each thought centered around the one who was marked with the magic. Rarity, simply too exhausted to speak, rested on the library floor. Finally unable to bear the atmosphere, Luna turned.

"I think we shouldn't wait any longer," she announced. "The magic outside is too strong for my comfort. The sooner we defeat it, the better we all will be."

The friends all stood, roused by the princess's words. Applejack looked up, suddenly remembering the conference from five days ago. "You know how to help her?"

Luna paused. The memory of her talk flashed in her mind, as well as every day spent researching since that meeting. After a moment, she nodded. Slowly.

The nod didn't convince Applejack. "Are you _sure_ you know? Your whole talk about diggin' out and destroyin' the root of the problem makes me think you don't have our best interests at heart."

For the second time that hour, the moon princess felt her coat bristle. "I do know what I am doing, Applejack. I would appreciate a bit more faith on your part."

"I put mah faith in facts, princess. I just want to know what you're planning, is all." The farm mare crossed her forelegs, defiant yet reasonable. Twilight stood agape, shocked to see such a bold display of dissatisfaction for one of Equestria's rulers.

Luna felt her annoyance give way to a low anger. What had she done to offend Applejack so? "If you must know, I _plan_ on removing this bound magic from Rainbow Dash, using it as a magical lure for the orb outside, then bombarding the orb with attacks until all that's left of it is a bad memory. And I _plan_ on doing so with or without your support. So tell me, what must I _plan_ to do in order to win your support?" Her voice had steadily risen while she spoke, bringing a fierce tension to the already-unwanted atmosphere.

To her credit, Applejack wasn't daunted. She merely shrugged. "I'm a simple pony. I want my friend back, that's all."

The tension hung in the air, heating up as the air buzzed with a sudden adversity. Luna felt a very strong desire to put this farmer in her place, but thought better of it. Now, of all times, was _not_ a time to nurture a grudge. Besides, she had to admit that the orange mare had a point.

"Fair enough," Luna conceded. "Everypony keep your distance. Rainbow Dash?"

The pegasus, who had remained silent through the whole affair, lifted her head. She continued her silence, allowing her blank gaze to answer for her.

The alicorn took a few steps back. "With me, please. We'll begin."

Rainbow hesitated, chewing on a hidden thought, before standing and moving weakly toward Luna. The dark magic surrounding her seemed to buzz, like it were anticipating some coming change.

For the three remaining occupants, the atmosphere changed from tension to apprehension. Now came the moment for which they all hoped the best, but feared the worst. Applejack stood still, while her unicorn friends moved to either side.

Silence claimed them all. Two full minutes passed with barely a loud breath. But Twilight knew that something was about to happen - the ambient magical energy around them all was moving faster, drawing closer to the powerful alicorn who commanded the night. Finally, after four years of exile and five days of siege, it was time for a change.

Luna started small. Closing her eyes and slowing her breathing, the alicorn mentally probed with her magic, gently sensing the bound mare before her. Reaching with her magic, she slowly drilled into Rainbow's being - it was like swimming in a cosmic ocean. The dark magic that held Rainbow captive reacted, white lines dancing in a flurry - but nothing happened. The darkness conceded to the probe of Luna's magic, revealing Rainbow's very soul to her.

Viewing the soul of someone isn't as simple as one might think. It has no distinct shape, and is never quite what is expected. In the case of Rainbow Dash, her essence appeared as a flowing, solitary flame, a vibrant blue standing defiantly against a red-orange sky. The flare was unhealthy, an obvious sickness causing it to suffer. That, Luna knew, was the magic that was bound to her.

Of course, the only pony who saw any of this was the princess. To the other occupants of the library, it simply looked as though Luna were casting a spell with her eyes closed.

The princess pushed forward, closing the gap between her spell and Rainbow's being. As she neared the spectral flame, it began to dim, falter, and change shape. No longer like fire, the image rippled like oil, darkening to an unsightly violet. An indication of how far the foreign magic had overtaken the pegasus.

Lune paused, mentally double-checking her intention. If she went carefully and precisely, she could lure out the unknown spell without doing any harm to Rainbow's soul. In theory, she would immediately regain her body and actions - it would be like waking up from a distressing sleep. But if Luna was wrong, or made a mistake...

'_No,'_ she chided. _'This is the only way to save her. I cannot afford to misstep.'_

Luna took in one deep breath to calm herself, and held it. She pushed farther, wrapping her magic around the oily image.

That was the moment that their bodies began to react. Luna's body began to emanate a soft navy-blue shine, which rotated in time with her horn's magic. At the same time, a dark glow spread from Rainbow's magic-encased body, spreading a malicious blackness around the room. The three ponies who stood by instantly felt their coats stand on-end. The glows deepened, took shape in single, rippling rings, and closed in on their respective subjects - a dark blue for Luna, a tense black for Rainbow. The magic spun around their bodies, creating a clashing hum that would have shaken crystal. The pegasus began to breathe heavily, and she nearly lost her balance despite standing still.

The two ponies, Princess Luna and Rainbow Dash, began to float with the power of their rotating rings. The hum intensified, as did the speed of the spinning rings. Before long, they hovered a few feet above the library floor, neither one using their wings for flight (though Rainbow could not even if she tried). In Luna's view, the oily image of Rainbow's soul was desperately flailing against the soft touch of her regal magic, as though it were being electrocuted through touch alone. That was bad - it meant that the magic had completely permeated Rainbow Dash.

Luna would not be stopped, however, and pressed on. She covered the struggling blackness in her spell, coaxing it to calm down. With a little effort, she saw it begin to fight less, and move a little more smoothly, like a flame should. After a heartbeat more, she was able to calm the image enough that it flowed like the fire she had seen before. Now, Rainbow's soul was exactly like a flame with its' light stolen away, perfectly black against the sky of orange.

Now, Luna realized, came the hard part. And it was no longer necessary to be gentle.

The alicorn released the breath she had been holding, grinding her teeth at the same moment. With a grunt that went unheard beneath the hum of the rings, Luna began to pull back her magic - _all_ of her magic - through the way she had trespassed. The sudden action caused the darkness in the flame to leap, the hums to sound louder, and Rainbow to cry out in anguish. She panicked, flailing against the magical hold that kept her suspended in the air.

On the ground, the onlookers began to panic as well. Not able to see what Luna saw, they were victims to their own imagination, and assumed the worst. But if any of them wanted to move, they were stopped by the hums, which continued to grow louder and higher-pitched until they resembled screeching. The sheer presence of the sound forced each of them to cover their ears and crouch.

The magic attached to Rainbow's essence leapt again, instinctively trying to follow the retreating force of Luna's spell. With a third leap (and a third cry of agony from Rainbow), the magic broke free, and gave chase to the new, healthy, irresistible power that was Princess Luna. It followed the path that her spell had carved, closing the gap _far_ too quickly. Within the span of seconds, the two magics were nearly touching.

Luna shouted and pulled harder, finally removing her conscience from Rainbow's, and instantly shifted her magic. The blue ring surrounding her body split, shot forward, and stood rigid before her head, pointing from floor to ceiling. Instantaneously, the ring surrounding Rainbow did the same, only it pointed forward like a spear, aiming for the middle of Luna's magic.

And there the two lines held. Everything stopped. The scream, the shout, the hums, everything. The only thing that dared move were the eyes of the three friends on the floor, darting back and forth between each other, the ponies who floated without wings, and the lines which looked set to do battle. Luna had her eyes open as well, but she dared not breathe nor blink. Rainbow, on the other hoof, had closed her eyes.

This, this right here, this was the moment she both sought and dreaded. Luna had succeeded in luring the magic that had caused Rainbow Dash such grief. What she _didn't_ yet know was whether or not the magic took any of Rainbow's soul with it. If this failed, then the pony's death was certain. But if she was right - if Luna was _successful_ - then...

...then? Then what?

Still glowing with the light of her magic, Luna's eyes widened in fearful realization. She had only ever used Nightmare Moon's ability to bind trees and create projections. _When had she ever removed bound magic from a pony?_

The answer was never. She had never removed magic from a living pony in her life, so how was she supposed to know what would happen? What in Equestria made her capable of such a feat? It was just as likely - no, _more_ likely - that she would cause the death of the bound pony. She didn't know what she was doing! She had no idea what would happen!

Luna's inner conflict continued for a moment, during which time she felt angrier than when the Elements of Harmony formed and defeated her. Except this time, her anger was at herself. She cursed herself, believing she was a hapless foal, a naïve little schoolfilly who thought that just because she _had_ magic, she _knew_ magic. She stared at Rainbow, the two colored lines, and finally the worried faces of the ponies below her. Nobody dared speak.

Then...movement. Silent as a breeze and sudden as a cannon shot, there was movement. The magical 'suit' around Rainbow Dash began to ripple _forward_, waving in the direction of the black line. The white patterns of the spell moved in a frenzy, dancing forward as well. With a strained groan, Rainbow's eyes opened, revealing two dulled orbs of magenta.

Applejack saw this first, and her hopes leapt. Rainbow's eyes! Her real eyes!

The magic continued to ripple, finally flowing off of Rainbow's body and into the black line which remained rigid. The magic's removal began at her tail and continued from there. Before the eyes of the onlookers, color began to spread on Rainbow's body. Her tail, once a proud declaration of six colors, now began to show those colors again. The magic receded further, revealing the still-vibrant image of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. And still, the darkness roiled.

The bound magic moved from Rainbow's body to the dark line before her. As the power merged, the line shifted and condensed into a small sphere. It was similar to the orb that assaulted the town, only much smaller and without the absorbing lines of white. It shifted like a pond, constantly changing shape in midair.

The exile's body continued to be released from the hold of the bind, but the magic slowed when it reached her neck. She began to whimper, clearly in distress, as the dark magic made one last-ditch effort to remain with her. A sharp pain twanged at the top of her spine, causing her to jerk her head in reflex. The magic, so determined to remain, was burning her.

"No," Luna breathed. It was as she feared - the magic was holding fast to her essence, refusing to let go.

Thinking quickly, the princess halted her spell, spreading her wings to help keep her in the air. The blue line in front of her dissolved, leaving only the black oily mass between the two ponies. Luna leaned forward, gently speaking to the darkness.

"Why bother with her?" she crooned. "You've taken all you can get with her, right? Aren't you ready for something _more_?" She was tempting it.

Her temptation worked. Without sparing a second, the magic moved forward again, slowly revealing the vibrant colors of Rainbow's prized mane. But it wasn't perfect - a raw line was revealed, ringing the base of her neck where the magic had burned her. The coat had been singed and the skin beneath rubbed raw. But the magic moved on, finally.

Without meaning to, Rainbow Dash released a sigh. The last of the magic finally drifted away, taking residence in the oily mass before her. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she lost consciousness. Without magic to suspend her, she fell.

Applejack reacted first, as always, catching Rainbow in a tackle before she hit the unforgiving floor of the library. She rolled in the air, landing on her back to keep her friend above her. Rarity and Twilight didn't move - concerned though they were, their gaze was held by the development above them.

Luna had cast her spell once again, holding her rigid blue line against the dark magic which drilled desperately to reach her. Her ply to tempt the magic had left her defenseless for a moment, and when it had released the pegasus, she had just barely reared her defenses in time. Now she hovered in the air, her eyes dots of focus, as she pushed against the surprising force of the root magic.

The princess was still angry with herself. She knew it wasn't yet time to celebrate - Rainbow's body may have been freed, but she still didn't know if her soul was spared. Still, she would have time for that later. Right now, her goal was before her. The root magic was finally out in the open, and with it, the promise of completely obliterating the assaulting orb outside.

As though realizing it had been deceived, the root magic pulled away from Luna's spell and hung in the air. It rippled in fury and fear, holding for several tense seconds, before it dived for Rainbow's prone body.

Applejack moved on instinct, covering her friend's body with her forelegs. She dared the magic to take _her_ instead of her friend.

But Luna moved faster. The princess cast her spell all around the room, creating an effective cage which stopped just short of the four ponies on the floor. The root magic struck the inside of the cage and bounced away, unable to reach its target.

Fearful, it made a second and third attempt to bind, this time at Twilight and Rarity in turn, before darting back toward Luna. But the alicorn still held her blue line in front of her, and the darkness made to progress. It spun in the air, panicking.

Fixing her glare on the magic, Luna quickly halted her defensive spell and drew her cage-like magic in on itself. The change was rapid, and would completely seal the root magic in an inverted shield-spell.

However, the magic was quick, and managed to slip through an opening that Luna had missed. It spun in a tight arc, flitted about the library ceiling, and paused for a heartbeat. Rather than deciding on making another attempt at binding, the root magic thought it best to save itself. Four sets of eyes watched in shock as it darted for the balcony, burst through the door, and shot through the air.

Luna was moving before the sound of breaking glass could reach their ears. She pushed herself upward, giving chase to the darkness. Twilight thought she heard the princess shout, but what she said didn't register.

Rarity moved to the nearby window, tracking Luna's flight. The alicorn flew with an awe-inspiring speed, no doubt directly after the root magic. Her path led toward Everfree, away from the town. Rarity's glance shifted to the orb that had attacked her less than a week before, marveling at how large it had grown. She felt a flutter of relief - soon, that orb would be gone, and life could continue.

In the distance, Rarity saw a shimmer of sunlight being reflected. Soaring through the air toward Ponyville, a Canterlot chariot was being pulled forward. Despite the distance, it was obvious that the chariot was one reserved for royalty. Clearly, Celestia had received the news that her sister had sent, and decided to come in person.

Applejack slowly moved her forelegs away, letting them fall to the ground. She was still on her back, with a thin Rainbow Dash facing away from her. With a soft chuckle, the farm mare sat up, placing one hoof on her old friend's shoulder.

"Hey, Dash, we did it," she praised. "It's over now."

But there was no answer. Rainbow was breathing, but it was shallow. Applejack furrowed her brow, worried.

"Hey, Rainbow?" she whispered, shaking the pegasus' shoulder. Rainbow's body listed without resistance, limp and flaccid. "Rainbow Dash?"

The silence was deafening. Applejack pulled, rolling Rainbow onto her back, where she lay still. She had her eyes open, but they stared without seeing. Her breathing came in short, rapid gasps, sounding dry and raspy. She was completely unresponsive.

Applejack's worry became fear. She gently called out her name and shook her, gaining no progress. Twilight approached, herself unsure of what was happening. Finally, Rarity looked over.

"Rainbow!" the orange earth pony cried. "Get up! C'mon, now, get up!"

Nothing.

In the span of a heartbeat, Rarity finally realized what she had been overlooking. Her eyes sparked with the truth. _'That's it...!'_

"Applejack!" she called, trotting over. "That's it!"

Applejack ignored her, so Twilight responded in her stead. "What's it? What's wrong?"

Rarity looked to her unicorn friend, giving her the summary of their meeting with Rainbow. "When we found Rainbow in the cave, she was so certain that she was going to stay. She didn't want to return until she heard us mention Princess Luna. As soon as she heard her name, she decided to return. She knew the princess would be able to remove the magic from her!"

"What's your point?" Applejack spat, swinging her gaze around. Her eyes were panicked.

"Don't you see? Rainbow Dash still blames herself for what happened to the Wonderbolts! She still feels guilty over their deaths, to the point that she's attempted suicide!"

"I asked you, _what's your point_, Rarity?" came the harsh reply.

Rarity shook her head, the revelation making her mind reel. "She hasn't eaten in years, Applejack! And that magic was the _only_ thing keeping her alive! With it gone...!"

Time seemed to slow as the bit dropped. Of course, that was what Rainbow Dash had planned. She had been correct - the bound magic was her link to life. With it removed, her body would pick up as though waking up from a very long sleep. But without the proper sustenance of food and drink over the years, her body would not be capable of recovery.

The gazes of the three friends all turned to look at the colorful pegasus. Twilight held a hoof to her mouth, barely containing her horror. Rarity stood by, unable to speak any further. Applejack simply stared, desperate for a reason - any reason - to tell Rarity that she was wrong. But no reason came.

There was nothing she could say or do. Rainbow Dash was dying before her eyes.

Nopony seemed to notice the library door opening. But the surprised gasps of the new arrivals did draw the attention of Rarity, who turned to look. As she had guessed, Princess Celestia had arrived, bringing with her Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The two pegasi guard who had carried them took post at the door. Needless to say, the scene that lay before them halted any words they may have formed.

Seeing Rainbow's twitching body caused Fluttershy and Pinkie to rush forward, calling out for her. Celestia blinked, just as unnerved to see such a drastic turn of events. However, unlike the rest, she was not surprised. In fact, she had been expecting such a bold move.

The sun regent stepped forward. "Away," she commanded, her horn aglow with golden strands of power.

Rarity and Twilight hastily stepped aside, allowing the alicorn room to work. Without waiting for questions, Celestia lowered her head and wrapped her magic around the colorful pegasus. Her body was lifted from the ground as the princess probed, sending raw energy into Rainbow's body.

Slowly, she began to improve. Rainbow's breathing deepened and slowed, her chest rising and falling comfortably. Color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes finally closed. Celestia knew that it wasn't a permanent solution, but it would buy them time.

"Somepony get her food and some water," she murmured, not once breaking her spell.

After a moment of hesitation, Twilight departed for the storeroom. She returned a minute later, magically holding a pair of apples and a shallow bowl of water. As she helped her mentor, Applejack gazed at the exile. An internal battle was raging.

'_Why?'_ she constantly wondered. _'Why would you do this, Rainbow? Didn't you _want_ to be saved?'_

Applejack's throat was dry, and she longed to ask Twilight for some water as well, but she didn't speak. She pulled herself to a nearby bookshelf, resting on it as she waged war with her thoughts.

A few minutes passed in silence. Rarity had returned to the window, deciding it best to watch for Luna's return. She stood in silence, trying to focus on the clear sky and delightful peace of the world outside.

The unicorn blinked. Peace? But what about...

Fluttershy moved to her side, timidly hoping to hear about her friend's adventure to find Rainbow Dash. "Um, Rarity?" she began. "Are you okay?"

Rarity blinked once more. "The magic," she murmured simply, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh, yes, it looks like Luna was able to help Rainbow Dash!" The yellow pegasus flapped her wings in happiness, enjoying the welcome news. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"No, no, I mean the magic. Where is it?"

The caretaker looked at her quizzically before turning her gaze to the window as well. She, too, saw the peaceful scene just outside - and in that, the disturbance. Peace was there, when it shouldn't be. The magic that was held down, that had been trapped for five days, was gone.

Rarity turned and ran, galloping past Celestia's pegasi guards. She threw the door open, rushing outside. Without waiting a moment, she cast her gaze about the town outside, and learned that peace was definitely false. Where the magic had been, now only a scorched spot on the ground remained. Surrounding the area were the Canterlot unicorns, all of them defeated, most of them unconscious. Of the two dozen who were tending to the dark orb, only three were awake, groaning in confusion and pain.

The sound of the opening door caught Celestia's attention, who turned to look outside without releasing her hold on Rainbow Dash. The sight caused her breath to seize, her insides to leap, and her throat to go dry. A leaden dread dropped in her stomach.

She fixed her gaze on her two pegasi guards, momentarily forgetting her stoicism. "Did you see which way Luna went?" she asked, her voice harsh.

The guards nodded, knowing it wasn't a time to speak.

"Take the chariot and go to her. Now."

The tone in the princess' voice drew the worry of the rest of the ponies in the room. They each wondered what had her so concerned. But before anypony could ask, they heard Rarity scream.

Outside, in the distance, a resonating explosion sounded. Ominous clouds spawned as though from nowhere, spreading their bleak presence outward from the Everfree. The sunlight from mere moments ago was instantly covered.

Celestia's dread grew heavy. "_Go_!" she ordered. Her guards hitched themselves to her chariot and took off at a full gallop. The vehicle bounced awkwardly along the dirt road before it gained height, and the princess tracked its' movement until it became lost against the unnatural sky.

Had she known what had just happened, there beneath the clouds, Celestia might have flown to her sister herself. It would have made the coming horror a little simpler to bear.

Luna flew faster than she thought possible, driven by her fierce determination to end this struggle as soon as she could. Wind stung her eyes and formed tears, but she didn't blink them away – her gaze remained fixed on the dark magic ahead of her, slowly growing larger as she neared it.

In her peripheral vision, she noticed a line of browns and reds coming nearer – the edge of Everfree Forest. The root magic dived, making a desperate effort to shake the princess. Luna realized the move in an instant, and dived as well, folding in her wings as G-force shook her insides. She drew closer to the magic and Everfree.

Luna's horn glowed a solid dark blue, dark as the night, as she plummeted after her prey. With a shout of exertion, she shot a powerful wave of magic ahead of her, unfurling her wings at the same time. Her spell made a beeline for the retreating darkness, closing the distance in less than a second. Her spell shifted form, becoming a tightly-woven cocoon of shield magic attached to a twisting line of power, which led back to her horn. She pumped her wings and pulled her head back, slowing her descent until she stopped. She looked around in satisfaction – the magic had never made it to Everfree. It was trapped in her magic. It was at her mercy.

She nicked her head to one side, calling her shield spell close to her. Within the field of her spell, she could see the dark root magic, desperately pushing against the inner walls if its cage. She gazed at it grimly as she hovered above the ground.

"Such a small segment of magic to cause such trouble and pain," she murmured to herself. "I don't care what you are or where you come from. I won't let you harm anypony again."

"Well then, I suppose it'll be up to me, won't it?"

Luna spun in midair, nearly releasing her spell in her surprise. "Who is there?" she demanded. She cast her eyes around the forest edge and the grassy plains that lead up to it.

"Oh, me?" a voice called. It was quiet, yet strong, much like the growls that the orb in Ponyville would make. And also like the orb's growls, the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "I'm nopony of any real significance." The voice began to laugh a dry, mirthless laugh.

The princess rose a few feet in the air, eyes focusing as she shouted. "Do not try my patience! I am Princess Luna, regent of the moon, sister to Celestia! By that authority, I command you to show yourself!"

"Show myself?" the voice called back, so strong the speaker could have been right next to Luna. "But I'm not even hiding. Why don't you look closer…"

Luna's eyes narrowed to slits. She scanned the area below her, searching for anything that stood out. But after half a minute passed by in a tense silence, she spotted nothing. Everything blended together well with what was around it.

She passed her gaze over the forest edge again, and stopped. Ahead of her and to the left, there was one spot that seemed to blend _too_ well. It was just on the edge of an old tree, resting in the shade it cast – the area was darker than it should have been, like shadows shifting over each other.

"Well," the voice began, a single laugh cracking out like a dried tree limb, "good afternoon, princess."

A stallion stepped out of the tree's shade, entering the gaze of both the sun and the hovering mare above. He walked out calmly, exuding an air of superiority. He was the same size as Luna. As he exited the reach of the Everfree Forest, he looked up, and a flash of electric black light flared from his forehead. As the light died out, Luna's eyes widened.

An alicorn. A black-coated alicorn with a mane of white. A set of strong wings stood half-rigid along his backside, casting a short shadow in front of him. He stared up at the princess with eyes of the deepest red. They didn't blink, which unnerved Luna, though she didn't show it. Powerful magic rippled from his horn, waving calmly like a pond's surface.

"I'm glad you could make it," the stallion spoke, his voice even stronger than before. "For a moment, I thought that little piece of me would escape from you, and then you wouldn't have come here. That would have been a shame – I've been hoping to meet you for a long time, you see."

Luna's breath stilled for a moment. _'Did he just say a piece of him? …does he mean this root magic?'_

The magic around his horn flared momentarily, and he chuckled. It was not a pleasant sound. "Root magic? That's what you've taken to calling it? Well, at least it's simple, I suppose, but it doesn't really do me justice."

Luna said nothing, instead choosing to glare down at the stallion in an effort to contain her surprise.

It didn't work. "Curious how I know, are you? It shouldn't be too hard – you explained it very well to those Element Bearers a few days ago. Although, I think 'forbidden art' was a little harsh."

Her calm snapped. "Tell me your name!" she shouted. Nearby, the captured magic had stopped fighting its bonds. It floated inside Luna's manifested bubble of magic, slowly rippling as though it were contemplating a riddle.

"My name?" the black alicorn asked in mockery. He brought a hoof to his chest, feigning pride. "The moon princess wishes to know my name? I'm _honored_!"

"How dare you!"

"Relax, dear princess…you shall have my name. You shall have everything you need to know about me."

The stallion extended his wings to their full span, and began flapping. His body lifted smoothly off the ground. He ascended to Luna's altitude in a few short seconds. Not once during his rise did his gaze waver or his horn cease to radiate with magic.

"My name is Alucard. Like you, I am an alicorn. And I am the stallion responsible for the recent trouble in little Ponyville."

Luna's eyes betrayed her shock. She glared at Alucard, who calmly gazed back. His eyes were sharp as razors, but Luna didn't relent. He smirked, amused.

"Did you like my handiwork?" he asked. "Not many magical beings can give their magic its own body and purpose. It takes talent, patience, and years of mastery."

"You've damaged several pieces of property, nearly killed innocent ponies, and incited a mass evacuation from Ponyville," Luna accused, rising a few feet higher in the air, suddenly wanting to put some distance between her and those eyes. "Yet you do not speak as though you regret it."

"Of course not. I'm quite proud of my achievements." He pumped his wings, again matching Luna's height. He inched his face closer to hers, his unblinking eyes like glass marbles.

"Achievements? What you have done is a serious crime. You'll be banished from Equestria for this, if not worse."

"How can you banish me from a country I yet have no claim?"

Luna was silent, processing his question. Nearby, the captured darkness had become still as a stone. It gave off a steady glow as it waited.

"Slow down, princess," he said coolly, pulling a few feet back from her. "Don't overthink this. It's actually not all that hard." His grin narrowed in contempt, still there but filled with hidden motives.

A few moments passed with nothing but the sound of their beating wings. Alucard's eyes never blinked, and his horn continued to ripple calmly, a faint light spreading across his white mane. Luna was silent. Then:

"You're a foreigner."

"Very good."

"And you command dark magic."

"In a sense, certainly."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Alucard laughed his dry laugh. It seemed to echo off the Everfree trees, like the forest was laughing with him, mocking the princess. "Come now. Even you know that magic's color is correlated to the owner. The uses of magic are never-ending, and the user's goals are boundless. I could just as easily use my magic to promote your virtue of _friendship_." He drawled the word, clearly not impressed. "The only reason my magic seems 'dark' is because _I_ am dark."

Luna blinked. "So be it. Then why have you attacked Ponyville?"

"Go on, take a guess."

"You mock me!" she screeched. Her anger flared, and her eyes flashed white with power – a talent she held when commanding powerful magic. After a brief moment, the light receded, returning her eyes to their natural turquoise. "What reasons have you for assaulting my country? Do you wish war?"

Alucard didn't laugh, but his grin expanded. Somehow, it seemed worse than a laugh. "War? Now _that's_ a new one."

"Answer my-"

"No, dear princess, I do not wish war. I have my own reasons, and my own goals."

"Then what reasons? What goals?" Luna felt an unsettling buzzing in her nerves. She did not like this Alucard one bit.

"Now, now, let's not get too far into details. All in due time, my princess."

"You will give me an answer or I will take you into custody and personally question you!"

This time, Alucard's smile melted away. Without the contrast of his grin, his gaze became even more pronounced – razors that had become daggers. "You _plan_ on taking me into custody whether I give you answers or not."

Luna's glare intensified. She wasn't sure if he had simply guessed correctly about her intents.

"Don't insult me," Alucard spat. "I don't have to _guess_."

Realization settled over Luna. Her eyes danced with the truth, or at least one truth. "I see now. You're a telepath."

"Congratulations!" he sang, lifting his forehooves forward and clopping them against each other in applause. "You deserve recognition for this, princess! I think perhaps I should show you my talent firsthand…won't that be entertaining?"

The buzzing in her nerves increased, and she shifted. Her magical field moved in sync, rising an inch. "So then, why would a telepath foreigner mark Ponyville as his goal?"

Alucard was quiet for a second, then began cackling. Slowly at first, which soon grew into raucous laughter. He was finally forced to close his eyes, so overcome was he by his laughing. As before, the sounds echoed off of the Everfree trees – the laughter came from everywhere at once.

Luna waited. The black alicorn's mirthless laughter had sent shivers running up her spine, but she hid it beneath her royal composure. She glared, waiting for him to come around.

Finally, after a full minute spent in his fit of glee, Alucard's laughter quieted and his eyes flew open. "You think _Ponyville_ is my goal? That backwoods, speck-on-the-map little waste of a village?"

Luna said nothing, continuing to glare. Her nerves went taut, and a fierce foreboding overcame her. She was suddenly thirsty.

"No, no, dear princess," he said, and his voice was dry and hollow. "You want to know the goal I sought from attacking Ponyville? Why, she's right here in front of me."

At this, a heavy silence befell them which seemed to slow down time. They stared at each other, unblinking red meeting anxious turquoise. Even the sound of their beating wings seemed to melt away. Luna held her breath, waiting.

Alucard's eyes flashed. He sped forward, launching from his space in the air as quickly as though he had leapt from the ground. The dark glow of his horn increased, and a set of three small spheres formed, each one orbiting his horn. A thin, dancing strand of white connected each sphere to each other – similar to the white lines that the assaulting orb that attacked Ponyville had. He let out a shout, bearing down on the royal mare before him.

Luna reacted quickly. She pumped her wings, sending her head-over-tail, until she faced downward. She angled her wings and dived, never releasing her shield spell that trapped the loose root magic. Once out of Alucard's reach, she evened out, rotated, and faced upward, eyes shining with white power. The tip of her horn glowed as she called upon her magic. The magical prison dimmed, weakened, but did not fade.

She spotted Alucard as he turned for another rush. She fired off a dark blue lance of magic, which curved to meet him. He spun, sending one of his three miniature spheres to intercept Luna's attack. For a brief moment, she thought maybe he was simply stupid – there was no way his sphere would challenge her spell. Her attack dwarfed his.

The two spells connected, and very suddenly, Luna's spell was wrapped in dancing white lines that brought it to a halt. The lines connected it like a loose net, vibrating with activity. Then her spell faded- no, was _absorbed_ into the lines, until nothing remained but the miniature sphere of telepathic magic.

Alucard hovered there for a moment as the sphere returned. When it reached his forehead, it melted and spread over his horn. The corona of magic that he maintained seemed to grow a deeper shade of electric black. He closed his eyes in satisfaction, as though savoring some morsel of food.

When he opened his eyes again, they were trained on Luna. "Thank you for that. Mind showing me how you would handle it?"

Alucard's horn burst with magical energy, sending a copy of the lance of power Luna had fired at him. Only this one was blue-black, with white lines falling out from the sides like loose feathers caught in the wind. The air vibrated with energy, and for a moment, all Luna could see was the magic heading her way. Instinctively, she knew that if she again tried to use a spell parallel to the shield she was holding on to, it would not be enough to beat back Alucard's own.

Very well. If she couldn't use a second spell, she would just use one.

Luna jerked her head to one side, yanking the shield spell – and the root magic held within – in front of her. She poured magic into the line that connected her horn to the spell, which expanded and glowed brilliantly. The color of the shield magic deepened to a solid blue and shifted to a three-dimensional triangle. It pointed outward.

Alucard's dark lance struck her spell head-on. The triangular prison held and split his attack into three separate steaks of power, which diverted harmlessly to the surrounding air. The world seemed to roar as the dark magic was cut through – Luna's magical mane and tail whipped back and forth by the resulting crosswinds. Beads of sweat spouted, and she grimaced as she continued to pump magic into her shield, the only thing that could protect her now.

After a moment, the dark lance cut out, and the streaks that had been cut and diverted faded from existence. Luna kept her shield raised, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "Attacking the royal rulers of Equestria is a serious crime! You'll be hunted down and punished severely for this!" she shouted, using her tone to mask her surprise at his display of raw power.

"Being hunted down is nothing I'm not already used to," he called back. He calmly shifted from right to left to right, taunting Luna with his very presence.

The princess lifted her spell finally, calling some of her energy back. The shield shifted to a simple hollow sphere once more, with the captured magic buzzing violently. "You will face the might of the Equestrian country and its people! There will be no escape for you, stallion!"

He stared down at her, red eyes as unblinking as ever. He seemed to consider her words for a moment. Finally, he spoke. "Tell me, princess, where does a pony's honor lay?"

"What?"

"A pony's honor. You know, the difference between fillies and mares, guards and villagers, rulers and beggars. Where does it lay?"

Luna was silent for a moment as she thought over his question. "Simple," she began, "it lies with her hard work and sacrifice to the betterment of her friends and family."

"Sorry, but that's not correct," he called down, rising higher in the air. His horn glowed even brighter as his two remaining sphere orbited faster. "A pony's honor lies in whether or not he attacks from behind."

Luna's coat stood on-end, and she spun around to face behind her. She saw it – coming her way at breakneck speeds was a massive wave of dark magic. It curved upward, heading straight toward her.

She dropped, barely avoiding the wave as it sped over her. Unfortunately, her shield spell was caught in the rush like a fish on a hook, and her magical line was severed from it. The force of the disconnection yanked her head backward, spinning her. She let out a surprised cry and fought to regain her control of herself. Loose white lines of telepathy magic shot out and stung her, almost in a passing greeting.

When at last the rushing of the wave ceased, she opened her eyes. She knew exactly what that wave was – it was the same magic that was supposed to be held in Ponyville, the same one that had nearly killed Twilight Sparkle only days before. Now it shifted into the dark orb she knew too well and floated to Alucard's left. To his right, her shield spell was being dissolved and absorbed by the second of his three horn-spheres. In a matter of seconds, the captured magic was free, and it too hovered next to him.

For the first time since being banished to the moon one-thousand years ago, Luna felt an inkling of fear.

"I really should thank you, princess," Alucard began, and his voice was once again hollow. "Your decision to stay just one step ahead of my magic gave it lots of time to absorb and learn. This will all be _so_ much simpler because of your choice of action. So…"

The two loose segments of dark magic inched closer. Alucard's horn glowed brightly, and the light expanded until it covered his body. His red eyes cut through the glow, staring at Luna with what resembled hunger.

"…thank you."

The two segments of power met, merged, and became one. They melted into the light of his horn, covering every inch of his body. For a moment, he resembled a shifting shadow with two red orbs. Then he began to cry out.

Alucard arched his spine, throwing his head back as he shouted incoherently. A thin pillar of magic shot from his horn, firing directly at the sky above. From that pillar, dark clouds shifted and appeared, completely obscuring the light of the afternoon sun. They thickened and spread, casting the darkness of impending rain on the Everfree Forest and the meadows surrounding it. Thunder roiled.

But Luna did not notice this at first. She was watching, stunned, as Alucard changed. His body shifted and _grew_ as the knowledge and power from both segments of his magic became one with him. The light that surrounded him rotated like a spinning top. His shouting intensified, and jolts of black lightning were loosed in random directions.

When Alucard finally stopped shouting, he had completely changed. The light of his horn flashed and dissipated, revealing himself. Luna was speechless.

His legs and body had extended to make him taller and larger than before. His wingspan had increased, and every beat sent a small gust of air rushing toward the ground. The light of his horn was more intense than ever before, with dancing white lines running up and down his corona of magic. His eyes had remained the same, but they seemed more frightening than before.

But the most shocking change was his mane and tail. Just like Celestia and Luna, his mane and tail had shifted and transformed from the magical fallout. It waved calmly, mockingly, a shade of pearl-white to contrast his coat of black. His mane swept backward and flowed down, splitting in half at his neck. Both halves rested on his front haunches, curving and rippling. Telltale lines of white danced across his mane and tail, from one edge to the next.

A dry chuckle bubbled in his throat as he gazed upon the stunned alicorn in amusement. "Well," he spoke, his voice amplified by the magic he had claimed, "good afternoon, princess."

Luna shook her head, unwilling to believe what she had just seen. She glared at Alucard, her eyes betraying her surprise and fear. She flapped her wings, noticing how tired she was becoming of flying – the combat had taken a larger toll on her than she thought. "What was all that?" she demanded, her voice one of regality. "What have you done?"

Alucard smirked, and that one moment sent a shiver up her spine. "I've merely taken back what is mine…and claimed what comes with it."

"You…you…"

"Don't think too hard, _princess_," he said, his tone dripping venom. "It's not as fun if you overthink everything. Here, why don't I help you…"

He lunged forward again, faster than before, a blast of thunder sounding as he launched. Luna didn't have time to react. He plowed into her, spreading the blue-black light of his horn over her body. She cried out in pain – the force of his body had twisted her foreleg, and the stings of invading white lines dug into her coat. She struggled, firing off flares of her own magic, but every flash was quickly lost to the field that held her.

Alucard flew very quickly, turning in the air in a circle, rotating faster and faster. As Luna flailed her limbs and even _bit_ him, he couldn't help but grin a little wider. This was too easy.

"RELEASE ME AT ONCE, CRIMINAL!"

He winced involuntarily. Since when did royalty need to shout?

"_RELEASE ME!_" Luna cried, her eyes white and filled with power and anger.

Alucard's horn flashed once more, commanding the third and final miniature sphere of magic forward. It drifted lazily until it reached Luna's horn, and there it waited.

"Princess…"

Luna's eyes flashed back to their normal color. She stared at the sphere, anxious.

"…make a wish."

The sphere shot downward, breaking and spiraling around Luna's horn. Jagged white lines appeared and drilled into the solid matter. She was silent for a moment, then began to shout and grunt as white-hot lances of pain flared across her senses. The spiral around her horn flashed, blue-black lightning feeding back into Alucard. Luna scratched at her forehead with her hooves, trying to physically remove the magic, though she knew it was useless to do so.

The process continued for many long moments. Alucard began to talk, almost musing. "You know, it's such a shame, using this spell. Being able to copy and steal magic from other ponies is such a useful talent, but it never leaves the pony as weak as it should. I end up feeling _cheated_ because of it. But that's alright, because there are always other ways to leave somepony weak. Isn't that right, moon princess?"

Luna opened one eye, baring her teeth in pain and rage. "You'll never get away with this, stallion!"

And once again, Alucard's smile faded away, leaving the full force of his sharp eyes completely unhindered. "You don't yet understand, do you? You cannot hope to defeat me, princess…"

He shifted, calling back the spiral that was now full to the brim with stolen magic. He gazed into Luna's eyes with his own, entrancing her.

Distracting her.

"...your Harmony lies broken."

_Crack_.

A lance of pain, white-hot and massive, shot through Luna's system. She screamed, the sound tearing at her voice, fresh tears of agony springing to her eyes. Before she knew what was happening, she felt herself falling. Luna opened her eyes through stinging tears and saw the ground rushing up to meet her. On instinct, she tried to flap her wings, only for a second, more terrible wave of excruciating pain to shoot through her.

She hit the ground hard, her scream cut off by the impact. She had landed on her left foreleg - an instant numbness took hold, and she laid there for a moment, both desperate to know what had happened yet terrified of what she would see. Finally, unable to take the pain of not knowing, she opened her eyes. Instant dread settled over her.

"Oh..._nooo_..."

Her right wing was a mangled, bloody mess. It stuck out at an odd angle, severely broken. Several feathers had fallen off during her drop, and a warm line of blood flowed slowly down her stomach. Hot pain throbbed from the fracture, and she fought every urge to cry. It was a sight that would haunt her dreams for years.

Her mind was consumed with the desire to get as far away as possible. Unable to fly and drained of any useful magic, she had no choice but to crawl. Her left foreleg was sprained after having landed on it. She struggled to rise onto the three legs that would hold her. She fell over once, letting out a scream of pain as she contacted the ground.

On the second time she rose, Alucard slammed down next to her. A sudden kick to her midriff sent her sprawling along the darkened meadow. She landed on her injured wing, and the resulting wave of white-hot pain completely stunned her system for a moment. She turned onto her left, taking a moment to rest, unable to form a thought. She held her eyes closed, her teeth clenched as she fought the pain.

Alucard set one hoof against the side of Luna's head, slowly applying pressure. Her head was forced against the grass. She cried out, weak sparks of magic flying in a failed attempt to fight back.

Thunder rolled overhead as he spoke. "You see, Princess, there's nothing you can do to me. Your powers are my own, and your mind is an open book. Your sister is unaware, your people are scared, your allies are in disunity...I am untouchable."

Luna opened one eye, the tears behind it giving it a proper glint of hatred. She spoke from behind her teeth. "Kill me, then," she said, her voice a grating whisper of pain. "Kill me and be done with it.

Alucard laughed his dry, mirthless laugh – and for the first time, it did not echo. "I'm sorry…I thought you would have known from your friend Rainbow Dash. I don't grant wishes."

A flash of lightning lit up the clouds above. Beneath the sound of resulting thunder, a telltale clinking was heard. The clinking of moving parts, metal on wood. Alucard's ears perked up, and he shifted his gaze toward the sky. A moving speck of gold and white could be seen, heading his way.

"Ah," he murmured, lifting his hoof away from Luna's head. "Your sister is worried for you."

Luna turned her head, straining her gaze forward until she, too, saw the speck of gold and white. She recognized it immediately – a chariot of the Canterlot Palace, hitched to two white pegasi guards. They flew hard, apparently having seen her situation.

"Take some time to recover, princess," Alucard said, turning back toward the edge of Everfree. "Tell your sister all about me. And make sure you're prepared for the coming storm."

Luna turned her gaze to face him, but found nothing. He had gone.

The Canterlot chariot arrived a short minute later, and the two pegasi immediately unhitched and ran to their princess' side. Before they could get a word in, she spoke, still grating through the throbbing pain that devoured her senses.

"Take me to my sister."

The guards blinked in unison. "Your Majesty, you're in no shape to return to Ponyville! We need to get you to the palace hospital-"

"_Take me to my sister,"_ she repeated.

After a brief moment, the guards nodded to each other. With their help, Luna was able to crawl into the chariot. She leaned against the inner walls, unable to move further. She was utterly spent.

As they soared through the sky, she shut her eyes, suddenly very tired and wracked with worry. She could still see his eyes – those unblinking eyes of red which saw everything.

**End chapter ten**

Author's comments: One magic fact about this chapter is that I've had the entire third scene written for about eight months now. I've been slowly and systematically leading up to this point, and I can honestly say it's been one hell of a ride. And yet, we're only past the halfway mark!

And now we're re-introduced to Alucard, the colt from the first chapter. Clearly, he's no friend to the people, but what are his intentions? I'll never tell, so you'll just have to mull it over.

Another magic fact is this: this entire concept of Rainbow trying suicide one more time was _not_ originally planned. On that note, I'd like to give a hearty thanks to SatoshiKyu, who first mentioned the idea and fed the fire which became what you just read. Be sure to give him a visit! He's a great mind, and without his input, this chapter would have been a few notches less enticing.  
><span>http:www.fimfiction.net/user/SatoshiKyu  
><span>http:www.fanfiction.net/u/1103377/

Co-author's comments: The first real action seen with my OC. I feel proud. Despite that scene being written eight months ago, it wasn't because of me. Aaron just had it bothering his mind, so he had to write it out. We've kept it since and finally put it here where he knew it was going to end up. It had slight changes from when it was first written, but the overall concept of the fight stuck.

The rest of the chapter felt thrilling. Mainly because I sometimes see myself as a sadist. Anyways, as you can see Dash's situation is _still_ not solved. Sure, she's freed from the magic, but the problems are far from over. Keep tuning in for more fun and exciting chapters!

Next chapter: Rainbow Dash awakens to the sight of Celestia's furious glare. Now without any chance of escape, the exile recounts what _really_ happened with the criminal Alucard. But the real trouble lies in the gazes of her friends - how can she possibly face them now?


	11. I Want to Blame You

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>More pony madness to fill in the summer!<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: Honestly? I'd _like_ to own ponies. They can be very useful creatures. But, sadly, I do not own ponies, especially those owned by Faust, Theisson, and the Hub network.

Hello, folks, and welcome back. To recap the last chapter (which was a monster!), Rainbow Dash was brought back home to Ponyville, where Luna was able to extract the dark magic from her. The magic tried to escape, leaving Rainbow with her friends in the library. Celestia arrived just in time to help her recover, while Luna was attacked by a powerful alicorn named Alucard, just outside of Everfree. He escaped, leaving her to return to Ponyville with her injuries.

And now, we pick up in the aftermath. Rainbow Dash has some explaining to do, but the mystery is far from understood. Let's begin.

ACT II - _The Pariah_  
><span><strong>Chapter eleven:<strong> I Want to Blame You

Dancing colors. A spot of bright light moving from one side to the other. Dull noises, some far away, others nearby. The sensation of swimming beneath a sea, one heavy with water, and no chance for air in sight. Weight, she felt a weight, something covering her body. A soft ticking, rhythmic, constant. A clock?

'_Rainbow Dash, open your eyes'_ her mind said.

'_No, I want to rest. Forever.'_

A weight was lifted, soon replaced by other feelings becoming known. A terrible ache behind her eyes, the feeling of sand being pumped down her throat. One foreleg was numb, but her body was resting on it, so that was normal. Her nose itched, but she didn't want to scratch it. She didn't want to do anything.

'_Come on, now, it's time to get up. Time to come back.'_

'_But I've done so much already,'_ she replied internally. _'I don't want to do anything else. I'm tired.'_

The colors shifted, slowly taking shape. Hard wooden floors, covered by various rugs and tables. One table held a centerpiece statue, which was familiar to her. It was sideways, pointing to the right, toward a ceiling which was also a wall. There, much closer - a simple bowl, with cool water rippling within. A second dish was nearby, apple wedges and sprigs of hay resting atop.

The sand in her throat, the dry sand scorching her, she needed to wet it, quench it, drown it.

"Time to wake up, Rainbow Dash," a voice above her said, and not a voice in her mind. The owner was speaking to her, but didn't notice her waking up.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, a battle in itself. She saw the water bowl in front of her, angled sideways just like the statue. That wasn't right. She blinked herself into awareness, and learned that _she_ was the one who was sideways, lying on the floor. There was a blanket next to her, recently removed from her sleeping form. She pushed it aside as she closed the gap between the water and her lips.

The bowl was knocked off-balance, splashing some of the precious fluid within over the edges. Rainbow didn't care. She needed to drown the feeling of sand in her throat. The sound of slurping reaching her ears was almost comical - she would have laughed were she able to speak. Water, glorious water, made its way into her body.

"Rainbow!" cried the voice above her. There were others, too, scattered around. She looked up, but pulled her head back as the intrusive light invaded her senses. She hadn't seen light like that in what felt like years.

After a moment spent recovering from the flash, Rainbow Dash looked up a second time. _'Am I dreaming?'_ she wondered.

Around her were her friends. All five of them, looking at her with worry and relief, some with tears in their eyes. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. They looked at her, expectant.

Rainbow blinked. That one motion seemed to break the hesitant expectancy that held the five ponies around her, and they all moved at once. Very suddenly, Rainbow Dash was caught in the center of a group hug, which she noticed felt reserved. Perhaps they were still worried for her health, and so didn't want to hold her too tightly.

The cyan pegasus connected the dots, one by one. This hug, the severe thirst, her lessened hunger, the warmth of the room and of the bodies holding her - all of it was real. None of it was a dream. She wrapped her forelegs around her friends, straining to get a glimpse of them. There were no dark marks, no white lines, nor any magical aura. She was alive...she had recovered.

Her face fell.

After a long moment, the group pulled away, taking their own places around her. Everypony gazed at Rainbow Dash, who in turn gazed at the wooden floor beneath her. There should have been an awkward silence, but the air was constantly broken by soft noises coming from across the room. Rainbow paid it no concern, but Twilight seemed distracted.

"Rainbow."

She looked up - Applejack, the owner of the voice from before, gazed at her with caution. "How're you feelin'?" she asked quietly.

Rainbow's thirst suddenly became severe again, no doubt because of her anxiety. She hesitated, picked up the bowl of water, and drank from it again. She didn't answer. How could she?

Nearby, Rarity cleared her throat. All eyes turned to her. "Applejack, dear...I think we have more pressing issues to mind."

The farm pony waited a moment, forming a proper response, but was interrupted by the most unlikely of phrases spoken by the equally most unlikely of equines.

"Twilight," Celestia called. "Do you have a brush nearby?"

Rainbow was so taken aback by the sudden sentence that she lightly giggled. Perhaps this _was_ all a dream after all. What kind of reality would have Princess Celestia asking her student for a hairbrush? Clearly this was all in her-

"How can you laugh at a time like this?" Rarity started, affronted.

The fashionista's abject surprise silenced Rainbow's momentary glee. They looked at each other, neither mare understanding the other.

Twilight did her best to focus on the question she had been asked. "Uh, yes, one moment..." She called on her magic, picturing the upstairs loft, the dresser near the wall, and the brush atop. Her magic reached out and gripped the tool, floating it down to the first floor. The unicorn passed it along to her mentor, who Rainbow finally saw on the other side of the room. The sun regent was the source of the soft noises from a moment ago, it seemed.

Rainbow Dash, intrigued, sat up and looked over her friends. As she had guessed, Celestia was standing in front of a long table some yards away, the newly acquired brush held aloft in her golden magic. Rainbow could only make out her head and face, and was confused to see terror in the princess' royal features.

Celestia leaned down, whispering something toward the table. Rainbow's ears perked, and she picked up the words "I'm sorry." Her intrigue only grew, and she finally mustered enough strength to stand on all fours.

She rose, opened her eyes, and was immediately thrust from a possible dream to a definite nightmare.

Celestia gently floated the brush to Luna, who was lying on the table on her left side. The moon regent took the brush's handle between her teeth, her breathing increasing in what was obviously fear. And that was when Rainbow noticed Luna's wing - the mangled, ruined, bloodied image of what was once a strong appendage. The sight made Rainbow feel sick, but she couldn't look away.

"I'm sorry," Celestia repeated, louder now, in an effort to bolster her own resolve. The apology was Luna's signal to bite on the brush handle. She turned her head away, looking at the far wall, unable to do anything but wait. The situation was clear - Luna's wing was in such a shape that it would not heal properly. Celestia would have to break it _again_ in order to set it correctly.

After a long moment of hesitation, Celestia focused her magic on Luna's badly injured wing. The bones and feathers became enveloped in a golden shine, which remained suspended for a few seconds. Then, with an anguished look, Celestia bared her teeth. A resounding _crack_ immediately rent the air.

Luna bit down on the handle, stifling her cries of pain. Her wing went from one impossible angle to another, and two dark feathers came loose, floating in the corona of golden power. Celestia bared her teeth again, and a second, more agonizing _crack_ sounded.

Tears flowed freely from both alicorns, one with her eyes closed, the other unable to close hers. With a third and final bare of her teeth, Celestia pulled at the wing, straightening it until it stood rigid. A series of smaller breaks sounded like stones falling down a well. Luna, simply unable to handle the excruciating experience, lost consciousness with a grunt. The brush fell out of her mouth, and the handle was riddled with deep teeth marks.

Celestia stood like a vigil, still unable to blink, feeling her tears flow down her cheeks and onto the floor below. With a deep, shuddering breath, she expanded her magic to a nearby first-aid kit, gathering bandages and a splint. She set the bone, cleaned the blood, and - finally releasing her magic - let the two primary feathers fall to earth.

The noise had, of course, drawn the full attention of the ponies in the room, but none of them dared breathe a word. Celestia was the only one who moved, and when she did, the movements were those of a mare unable to handle the strain. She lowered her head, allowing a violent shudder to course through her shoulders. A sob was stifled, and she wiped away her tears, yet still more emerged. Like a broken dam. Like broken defenses.

Slowly, Celestia felt a different force boiling in her. Her regal compassion began to fade in the wake of her beloved sister's condition. In its' place was something else. Not new - she had felt it before, many centuries ago. It wasn't a new feeling, but it also wasn't familiar...yet she still felt a hot focus claim her senses.

Her eyes stared at the broken wing of her sister. Slowly, methodically, the sun regent came to a conclusion. Luna had told her everything about her encounter with the black alicorn, including every word he spoke. It was clear that he was to blame for the assaulting orb that had nearly killed her pupil. And there was a chance that he had also bound his magic to Rainbow Dash, several years ago.

However, something very specific was still confusing her. And that confusion gave way to the new feeling she felt heating up inside her. Slowly, Celestia turned her head to look at the group of friends behind her. As she turned, a part of her mind noticed that she had stopped crying, and her eyes had dried.

Twilight looked up into her teacher's face, and immediately, she knew. The bloodshot eyes, the streaks of tears, the ragged breathing...Celestia was more than confused. She was more than worried, concerned, or scared.

She was angry.

With a start, the lavender librarian stood up and trotted over. "Princess Celestia..." she began. Her words did not raise any reaction from the alicorn, who began taking slow steps toward the group.

Twilight tried again. "Princess, wait," she called, placing one hoof on her mentor's foreleg. "Wait, please!"

Finally, Celestia looked down into Twilight's eyes. The gaze told her everything. The Sun Princess was no longer interested in, or capable of, being a friend to these little ponies. She could not continue to treat them as equals or allies. If being close to them resulted in Luna's injuries, then it was time to become what she had thus far avoided being. For the six ponies before her, Princess Celestia was just that - the ruler of Equestria, voice and law of their land. And it was time she started playing the part.

That was what Twilight saw in those eyes. Gone was the caring, compassionate shine to which she had grown so accustomed. Gone was the fire of love that Celestia had kept burning for centuries. Gone were the telltale stars of laughter, subtle pranks, and filly-like wonder. Celestia had had enough.

"Stand aside, Twilight Sparkle," she softly commanded. Her words were dangerous, like a headman's noose - simple rope fashioned into a lethal loop, and simple words with a deathly serious undertone.

With no choice and no courage to test her ruler, Twilight took a step back. She sat down, looking at the floor, her ears angled downward. There was nothing she could do.

Princess Celestia flicked her gaze upward, aligning her narrowed eyes with those of Rainbow Dash. Instinctively, the pegasus sat down, the sheer weight of the glare as physical as if Celestia had just pushed her. In a moment that was stretched by the situation, the alicorn closed the gap between them.

When Celestia spoke, her voice was dry. Merciless. "Rainbow Dash. Let me begin by saying I understand if you feel frail and tired. Nopony here has gone through what you have endured, and doubtless the same can be said for what you have _tried_ to do."

The implied criticism for Rainbow's attempted suicide made her cringe. She lowered her gaze. Her first mistake.

"Do not look away," Celestia commanded. Words like a noose.

The recovered exile hesitated, feeling a new batch of fear eat at her senses. She looked up again, locking her gaze with that of her majesty.

The sun regent continued. "I say I understand because I do. But make no mistake - I do not feel pity for you, nor do I feel you deserve any special consideration, at least not yet. Despite how much I want to act on emotion...and believe me, nothing would please me more...despite that, I need to know. I need to know exactly what _you_ know.

"Rainbow Dash, you're going to tell me everything. All that you know about the alicorn stallion who is known as Alucard."

A legitimate air of confusion fell about the pegasus. Her eyes were suddenly alight with questions, and she managed to voice one. "Wh...what? I don't underst-"

"Allow me to help you _understand_, then," Celestia interrupted, her voice louder and, if it were possible, even more merciless. She turned her body, allowing Rainbow the full view of Luna's sad state. "My sister is lying there, gravely injured, because she was attacked by a strange stallion who commanded immeasurable power. Powers that he gained after claiming the magic that was bound to you. Powers that he praises as the orb that assaulted your friends here. And, what baffles me the most, he spoke of you."

The princess turned again, focusing her eyes on the unfortunate mare before her. "He spoke of you, Rainbow Dash, as a familiar. Like the two of you have had dealings in the past. If he knows you, then surely _you_ must know _him_. Now do you understand? I want you, to tell me, _everything_."

She took two fierce steps forward to enunciate her last sentence. Rainbow didn't notice that she had backed up until she felt Applejack behind her. With a start like she had been jolted, Rainbow looked around - the faces of her old friends were all as confused as hers.

A moment passed as dusty memories began to float upward. Rainbow Dash reached for her water and downed the remaining contents in a sloppy gulp. Some drops were flowing down her forelegs, but she didn't notice them.

She closed her eyes, trying her best to picture the archaic memory. The flashes of the pictures gave way to words, but they were jumbled; nothing made sense. Rainbow twisted her neck, straining to find some harmony to the chaos. Finally, words began to form.

"It was all a dream."

_His horn's light flared again, though barely. He grinned warmly. "Well, well…" he began. "This is a surprise. What would persuade miss Rainbow Dash to visit me at this hour?"_

That was how it began, Rainbow told them. She had followed a shadowy figure to the backstage of a concert, because she had thought the figure was Princess Luna, come to visit during a night she had brought. She remembered how she constantly wondered how this alicorn colt knew so much about her, but she didn't pay too much attention to it. In fact, the one thing she was reminded of the most was the light of his horn, and how it kept upsetting her headache every time it flared.

_She returned his grin. "Ya heard of me, huh?"_

He had been a smooth-talker, a real charmer. Somehow, this colt had the uncanny trait to say all the right things at all the right times. They talked for some time, and he steered the conversation to the Wonderbolts, and her absence in their flock, at every opportunity.

_"Your idols, the Wonderbolts. The flight team you've been trying to get in to for most of your young life. Why have they not offered you a spot on their roster?"_

He had been obsessed with the subject. As obsessed as she had been with her Sonic Rainboom in the weeks leading up to the Best Young Flier Competition. As obsessed as she had been with gaining their attention at the Grand Galloping Gala. As obsessed as she had been with anything she was passionate about. It was all he could talk about. And he had appealed to her pride at every chance he found.

_"Baffling," he muttered. "What else could they want from you? Surely you've shown them enough talent…?"_

Finally, she had lamented her disappointment at not having made the cut. She told him how she was worried that she may have angered the team or their leader. At the time, she had poured out a number of viable reasons, but none were more true than when she said she didn't know what was keeping her back.

_As he closed the distance between them, he whispered. "If you'll allow me, I can give you the skill you'll need to win the approval of your idols."_

As she continued to tell the dream, she felt weaker and weaker. What about Alucard and his uncanny knowledge of her made her feel so vulnerable? How had he so easily hooked her with his offering? And why had she so blindly accepted that offer?

'_What will happen to me? Does it matter?'_ she had thought. If only she knew.

But Rainbow couldn't lie - not now, and certainly not to Celestia's face. So she continued to talk. And as she continued to talk, her throat began to go dry again, and it had nothing at all to do with thirst.

_The dark colt's grin grew wider. "Make a wish."_

The magic, his magic, his promise to make her a better flier. How had it gone? It seemed like something ethereal, like she were seeing the spell through another pony's eyes. And even if it were a dream, like she so believed, hadn't the pain felt real?

As she told the story, she felt less and less certain that what she saw was a dream at all. Somehow, the years of not thinking about the exchange had made the details sharper, made more terrifying by the experiences she now held.

_Panic began to eat at her senses. Her eyes flew open, and she had Alucard's name in her throat, ready to shout…but he wasn't there._

Perhaps it really _was_ real...the beginning of her unending nightmare. And this, where she was now, was just another chapter in her story of anguish. But if that were true, then the forces above truly were cruel beings. She hadn't wished harm on anypony.

_"What the heck?" she cried, forcing her gaze up toward the sky above her. Only to see a bolt of black lightning arcing directly toward her._

She hadn't wished harm on anypony? What _had _she wished?

"And then I...woke up. I woke up in my house the following day, like nothing had happened. I went about my day as normal, and that was it until the...until the t-tryouts came to town."

"And there is nothing else?" Celestia pried.

"No," Rainbow replied - a little quickly, it seemed. "That was it. It all seemed like a bad dream, so I never thought about it until now."

After a moment for the story to sink in, Pinkie Pie, who had been sitting patiently the entire time, finally perked. "I don't remember dreaming that!"

The question took everypony aback. Applejack looked over. "What in tarnation are you talkin' about, Pinkie?"

"Her so-called 'dream' about Alucard, of course! If she's right, then she ran into him right after the concert!"

"Concert?" Rainbow breathed. That's right - there had been a concert held just minutes before she had encountered the colt. "What does the concert have to do with-"

"Silly, I was there, remember?"

"Oh...oh yeah." Rainbow blinked. She felt ever the foal.

"I was there at the concert with you, and left about the same time you did!" Pinkie went on. "If you dreamed your whole meeting with this Alucard bully, then you would have _had_ to have dreamed the concert too, right? Then that means _I_ would have dreamt the concert, and then _I_ would have dreamt him!"

Applejack's mouth drew into a grim slash. Sometimes, Pinkie logic made sense when it shouldn't, by _any_ account. "So, did _you_ see this Alucard guy?"

"Nope!"

The farm mare gave her bubbly friend an all-too appropriate stare.

"Then again," the party pony pressed, "I suppose I wouldn't have anyway. I was busy helping with the search!"

For the second time in as many minutes, Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. "Search? What search?"

"The search for the band's missing member, of course! Gosh, did you forget _that_ too?"

"I never knew."

This time, Rarity chipped in. "Oh yes, I heard about that. Seems one of the band's players disappeared right after the concert. The rest of the group spent all night and most of the morning looking for him."

"I wanted to organize a search party," Pinkie continued, "but they didn't like my streamers. What do they have against streamers?"

Rarity ignored the eccentric ranting. She turned her attention to Rainbow. "You mean you never heard about it? Even though you were there?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"It was dreadful," the white unicorn explained. "He was one of their guitar players, and he simply vanished after he and his friends dropped the curtain. The last I heard, they were moving on to the outskirts of Ponyville to continue their search, and that was around lunchtime the day after."

Celestia tapped a hoof, and it was easy to see that she was restraining herself. "None of that matters right now."

Rainbow fell silent. Everyone was silent. The only sounds were those of Luna, who breathed softly, and Rainbow, who gently ran her hoof along the floor. The absence of speech was as heavy as sin. Everypony was desperate for someone to speak, yet none wanted to do the speaking.

After a minute, after an age, after a lifetime it seemed, Celestia moved. Her anger, suffice to say, had receded, but not faded. She gazed at Rainbow's bowed head, flitting from one opinion to the next, unsatisfied with any of them. She took a breath as though to speak, hesitated, and took another.

"Nothing else?"

Slowly, Rainbow Dash met her eyes. Celestia didn't need to probe her subject to know that she was hiding nothing. The truth, the anguish, was easily seen in the genuine spark that was dying behind her eyes. The princess held the stare for a moment longer before turning away.

The silence returned, somehow heavier than before. Fluttershy rested one hoof on Rainbow's own, trying to wrest some comfort between the contact. It was a touching, if useless, sentiment.

Twilight looked to her mentor, hoping to discern some of her thoughts. But Celestia hid her face. Twilight looked back to Rainbow, her own thoughts easily readable.

Celestia spoke. It was sudden. "I'm prepared to accept this as the truth, Rainbow Dash."

The six mares looked up, some slower than others. Celestia continued, but did not face them.

"If what you say is true, then it's likely you did not know what manner of binding you accepted. Alucard may have tricked you. Is this possible?"

Rainbow didn't answer, but then the princess didn't expect as much.

"In the matter of the orb that assaulted Ponyville," Celestia continued, "Alucard has admitted fault. And the fact that he claimed the root magic as his own means we can assume his fault in that regard. Doubtless, he's guilty of attacking Luna, and I'll see to it that he's brought to justice for these three crimes."

Rainbow blinked. "Three crimes?"

"I promise you this: there will be nowhere in Equestria he can hide. We will flush him out, one way-" Celestia turned her head, allowing Rainbow to see a vicious flash of her well-maintained anger. "-or another."

Something in Rainbow snapped taut. She felt herself standing without even meaning too. "What about me?" she blurted.

If Celestia was surprised by the outburst, she hid it. Instead, she slowly turned to face her subjects, angling her head on an upward tilt. "Explain yourself," she said.

"Alucard may be guilty for those three crimes, like you said. But I'm still guilty for what happened to the W-Wonderbolts, aren't I?"

Something snapped taut in everypony _else_. In a heartbeat, her five friends all stood and faced her, some trying to talk her out of such a claim, others wondering where the claim had come from. Even Celestia showed a bit of shock, but nobody bothered to notice it.

Rainbow rose her voice, shouting above the cascade of questions and outcries. "Listen! If Alucard bound that magic to me, then that's one thing! But he had no reason to want the Wonderbolts dead. That was all my fault!"

Celestia stepped forward, her size bringing silence to the five ponies who had swarmed the pegasus. She said nothing, prompting Rainbow to continue.

"The whole reason they died was because of the magic that was bound to me, right? It wouldn't make sense for both Spitfire and Soarin' to be hit like I was hit, but then the only one who was marked was me! I remember you telling me," she ranted, looking at Fluttershy, "something while I was in urgent care. You said that the magic seemed to emerge from me while I was flying, like it came _from_ me. That makes it _my_ responsibility!

"You see it, don't you? If it weren't for me accepting his offer, then the Wonderbolts wouldn't have been killed that day! That magic was released from _me_, and it killed other pegasi just because they were too close. I was like a...like a bomb for this magic, only because I agreed to Alucard's offer. Because I...made the wish."

Celestia turned her head downward, not once blinking or turning away. "Wish? What wish?"

Rainbow let out a long breath. "To be better than the Wonderbolts."

Applejack couldn't stand idly by any further. "That's enough o' that!" She stood rigid, fighting an inner conflict of belief - how is it that _everypony_ could be wrong about Rainbow Dash, especially Rainbow Dash herself? "I won't have you talkin' like that, Rainbow."

"But you see it, don't yo-"

"All I see is an old friend o' mine behaving like she's to blame for something she didn't do!"

"But maybe I wanted it to happen."

"_No!_ No you _didn't!_" The farm mare was screaming now, unable to bear the thought. "I know you, Rainbow, and I _know_ that you wouldn't ever _want_ somepony to be hurt, let alone killed! It's not like you - you hold the Element of Loyalty! What kind of loyalty would it be if you went around wishin' harm on everyone you saw?"

Rainbow stood still for a moment, locking gazes with Applejack - the tears in both of their eyes were easily seen. "You haven't given up on me, have you?"

"Never," she whispered.

The group of ponies stood still for a moment, each one processing the exchange. Nearby, Luna stirred, muttering something. Celestia went over to keep an eye on her, gently comforting her sister. After a moment, the sun princess lifted her head and gazed at the group of six mares.

"It's getting late," she said. "I need to tend to my duties back in Canterlot."

"Princess," Rarity began, "is that really necessary right now?"

"You might think so, but the rest of Equestria still needs its' night. With Luna like...like this," she trailed, momentarily encountering a surge of emotion, "it falls to me to take care of her responsibilities."

Luna whispered something that only Celestia could hear. The elder sister laid one hoof on her younger, smiling grimly.

"Whether you're guilty or not, Rainbow Dash, is a judgement I cannot make right now. Your crime is years old, and ponies may have moved on, but Alucard is still at large. Luna thinks he's planning something, so I do too."

Celestia's horn became awash in golden magic, and she mentally reached for the door behind her, gently opening it to the world at dusk. Her pegasi guards - the same who had recovered Luna from the edge of Everfree - were standing outside, ever at attention.

"Above all, right now I need to get Luna safely home, and make sure you six remain protected. I'll leave some of my guard here with you, and I recommend you don't leave. For you all, this library is probably the safest place to be."

The two guards entered and assisted Luna outside. She sat awkwardly in the chariot a moment later, doing her best to keep her bloodshot eyes open. While the pegasi hitched themselves and prepared for takeoff, Celestia continued talking.

"Rainbow Dash, make no mistake - you're not exonerated for what happened to the Wonderbolts. But with you back with us, we can make another attempt to find the truth of the matter. To that end..." she trailed off, looking at the cyan pegasus. Her gaze spoke volumes.

Rainbow caught on to the message immediately. She stood a little taller. "I won't run. I'm...tired of running and hiding."

"That's not all I don't want you doing," Celestia muttered. She turned to Twilight. "Make sure she's kept safe. Even from herself."

Twilight blinked, hesitated, then nodded. The message was clear.

It was nearly an hour before anyone spoke again. Celestia had left with her sister and about half of the unicorn guard, leaving the rest to stand by outside the library tree. Thankfully, the clouds manifested by Alucard's magic had begun to break up, and before long, the fiery sky was coaxed into the deepening darkness that was night. It was a sign that the two royal sisters had arrived at their home with no problems.

During that time, Rainbow had kept to herself. She idly ate the apple wedges and hay sprigs that she had earlier ignored, unable to appreciate the taste of either. With Celestia's power wearing out, it fell to her to keep her strength up. So she ate, but not ravenously - her movements were slow, guilt-ridden.

Facing Celestia and her fury had been easy. The real challenge now came in having to answer to her friends. Rainbow knew she had betrayed them, tricked them all, and ultimately failed in her final attempt at escape - Celestia had seen to that. Now was the time to face the music, as Applejack would say.

Except Applejack didn't say that. Instead, as the hour of silence grew heavy and simply annoying, she repeated her question from before. "How're you feelin'?"

Rainbow held a half-eaten apple wedge to her mouth. She returned it to the bowl, casting her gaze downward. "I'm tired...really tired."

"You gonna be okay?" Applejack asked, lying next to her friend with a fresh glass of water. Rainbow took it and began nursing it. "You really had me scared back there, with all your talk about how it's your fault."

"I..." Rainbow trailed off. She couldn't hope to explain herself - even she wasn't completely sure of what to think.

"...you feelin' up enough to talk?"

"I can try. What about?"

Applejack nodded toward the four mares scattered around the library. Seeing her, they all congregated around Rainbow Dash, silently lying on their stomachs.

'_Face the music,'_ Rainbow mused.

"About why you tried to off yourself," the farm mare answered.

The rainbow-maned pegasus gave a weak smile, playing off the guilt like some foregone memory. "That's what a murderer deserves, isn't it?"

Applejack bit her tongue, fighting every urge to disagree. Everpony looked at Rainbow Dash as she began.

"I've had a very long time to think about all this. It's been hard to get the images of the attack at the cloudiseum out of my head. No matter how many times I try to think of something happy...I always come back to that day."

She shut her eyes, resting her chin on her forelegs. "I'm scared," she finally admitted.

The words sounded so foreign to the group gathered around her. In all the years they had known the risk-taking pegasus, never once had she openly admitted to being scared. Even when it was obvious she was startled, she would proudly deny ever being so. But now, she was scared.

While some of her friends were surprised at this news, there were two who were expecting it. Applejack and Rarity, who had seen the mare at her worst in the hillside cave. The way she had reacted to Applejack's first attempt at physical contact...

"Scared of what?" Applejack whispered.

"Of everything. The magic, the memory of what I've done, lightning, flying...everything that's happened just scares me, freaks me out like never before," Rainbow explained, keeping her eyes closed, unable to look her friends in the eye. "Stupid, isn't it? A pegasus who's afraid to fly?"

"Not that stupid," Fluttershy muttered.

"You don't get it. What happened to me, at the tryouts...that big ball of magic that hit me? I was in the air, in my element, in my _home_. It struck me so hard, I thought I would never fly again. Then when I learned that it had killed ponies...that just made it worse.

"And it keeps getting worse. I'm even scared of _lightning_ now. I'm supposed to be a weather mare, aren't I? I can bundle up storm clouds and have them fire lightning whenever I want!"

Rainbow looked around, beginning to get a little excited. Her throat didn't go dry, but it did begin to burn.

"Flying, lightning...that one incident _ruined_ me. It took away everything I had, and now...well..." She trailed off, trying to calm herself.

"How did you become scared of lightning?" Twilight asked. She had never known her friend to have that particular fear.

Rarity took the liberty. "When she flew away from the hospital, she went straight into the storm. It wasn't long before she was hit by a stray bolt."

"Oh gosh. I...I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Rainbow muttered. "It's not your fault. Nothing is your fault - just mine."

Applejack visibly tensed. "You keep sayin' that. Why?"

"Heh. Because it's true."

"Horseapples," the farm mare responded. "I don't buy that for a minute, and neither should you."

Rainbow continued to challenge her. "Do you remember where the magic came from? Did you see from which direction it arrived?"

Applejack opened her mouth, but quickly realized she didn't have an answer. The wheels in her head turned rapidly, picturing that one fateful day. The cloudesium, the Wonderbolts, the rainbow streak that followed her friend...

The farm mare blinked. The way the rainbow streak had darkened, in the moments leading up to the attack.

Rainbow saw the understanding dawn on her. "That's right. You all saw it come from _me._ Not from over the wall, or from anypony else. It came from me, didn't it?"

When Rainbow asked the question, her tone betrayed some of her forlorn hope. Somewhere, deep inside, a part of her wanted to believe that this was still all a bad dream. She was desperate for her friends to answer with a no.

Applejack had the answer, but she didn't dare say it. Fluttershy, however, did. "Y-yes."

Twilight spoke up, ever the voice of reason. "But that doesn't make sense! Rainbow, you're not able to cast magic, so how could you have possibly cast that spell during your tryouts?"

"Or even _want_ to?" Pinkie Pie offered.

Rainbow cast her gaze down, traces of guilt beginning to shine through her fearful features. "That dre- ...that night I met Alucard," she corrected, "he promised me I could have the skill I needed to surpass the Wonderbolts. A part of me wanted that to be true - I wanted to be so good, even Spitfire would let me captain the team one day.

"I never told him that, and I was afraid to admit it to myself. I've been afraid to for all these years. But every time I think about the tryouts, waking up in the hospital...and even the night I made the wish...this is the only thing that makes sense."

"That's not fair," Applejack voiced. "If Alucard's involved, then we gotta ask him what he knows."

"Alucard wasn't at the tryouts, though."

"He coulda been hidin'."

"Where? We walked through most of the building. And besides, he's an alicorn with a dark coat - he would stick out against the clouds easily."

"Maybe he was on the other side than where we came in!"

"Then why didn't he attack when the Wonderbolts were getting into uniform?"

"That don't matter none!" Applejack was beginning to lose her patience. "If he's involved, and it's clear that he _is_, then we gotta get the truth from 'im!"

"Alucard bound the magic to me. He gave me the weapon - _I'm_ the one who used it!"

Very suddenly, Rainbow Dash's face was jerked to one side. Applejack, her calm snapped, had reached out and slapped her friend across the cheek. It wasn't enough to cut into her coat, but already a swollen lump began to form. The farm mare glared at her like she would glare at her sister when she had disappointed her in some fashion.

The mares in the room gave a simultaneous gasp. Even Rainbow was stunned. She stared at the far wall, trying to gather her thoughts, which had been sufficiently jumbled by Applejack's strike. Slowly, meticulously, she turned her gaze back to her farm friend, the shock and hurt evident in her eyes. The victimized cheek had grown hot, and the pain deeply stung. The burning in her throat grew.

Nopony said anything for a moment. The only movement was from Pinkie Pie - seeing the hit had reminded her of her last encounter with the showmare Spitfire. Four years ago, the fiery pegasus had lashed out at her, hitting her across the cheek and bringing blood. The wound had healed well, but a small scar had formed where the cut had been. She gingerly touched that scar, thinking back to what had caused it.

Applejack had caught the movement. She saw her pink friend touch her scar, which had been wrongfully given to her. With a gasp of horror, the farm mare retracted her hoof, pulling it close to inspect it. _'What's goin' on with me?'_ she reeled. _'Am I turning out to be jus' like Spitfire? Am I really behavin' like she did that night?'_

Rainbow spoke in a whisper, slowly adding volume as she went forward. "It won't matter if we can find Alucard. If he's able to beat Luna and break her wing-" she mentally shuddered at the image of the princess' mangled pride. "-then there's no telling what he can do to us. Celestia said that she doesn't want to judge me until she gains all the facts, but I know what she really means. She wants to make sure her country is safe from Alucard first, then come back to me and do what she _knows_ is right. I'm to blame! Celestia believes it, I'm betting Luna believes it, and I believe it!

"But I'm not the only one," she muttered, turning her panic-stricken eyes on her friends. "Don't you all feel the same way? After everything that I've done?"

Everyone had an answer. They honestly did. But nopony voiced them, for fear of the shame it would bring them. Their silence was answer enough, and the former exile continued.

"So you _do_ see what I mean! It doesn't matter if Alucard bound magic to me, or if he attacked Ponyville. I am responsible for the deaths of Spitfire's team, and I proved it by running away! Everything about it _terrifies_ me! That night took everything from me, and all I want to do is have it end! Even if I have to end it myself!" she proclaimed with a shriek that shook the bookcases.

Rainbow Dash trembled, trying her best to hold in her despair. She paused, lowering her head with her eyes closed. Her choked sobs echoed within the library, bouncing around the walls before finally fading from existence. Any doubts her friends may have held about her quickly faded - there could be no question anymore, no room for doubt. Rainbow Dash, their fearless friend, had completely changed after her harrowing experience.

"_That's_ why I tried to end it all," she said, barely above a whisper. "I'm tired, Applejack. I'm tired of being scared, of being so very scared of what I can't explain. I just was to stop being scared. I want it to stop."

For a moment, Applejack was beaten. She had exhausted all of her arguments, and had been met with fierce resistance each time. Her mind was still numb from having hit her closest friend. She opened her mouth, but words did not form. A few seconds passed, and finally she settled with the one truth she had held close: "I don't believe that."

"That's all you can say?" Rainbow Dash challenged.

Silence returned like a sour memory. For a full minute, none of the friends seemed to have any courage to say what was on their minds. But the cowardice wasn't to last - Rarity finally cleared her throat, looked Rainbow straight in the eye, and began.

"It's not that simple, dear."

As with the farm mare, Rainbow challenged the statement. "Why not?"

Rarity chose her words carefully, like stepping through a minefield. "You're not the only one who has had a long time to think about all of this, you know. The five of us...we've had to deal with the questions and ridicule of our fellow ponies here at home. And I'll have you know, every pony in Ponyville eventually knew what happened. Even the children.

"Yes, we all learned about what happened at the tryouts. And yes, we all heard Spitfire's version where she blamed you. But do you think any of us were _happy_ about it? We're desperate..._I'm_ desperate," she amended, "for the whole story, for all of the facts."

Applejack's ears perked up. _'Looks like she's finally understandin' that we ain't got all the facts. Maybe I _did _beat some sense into her back in the forest,'_ she thought with a wry grin.

"After all this time," Rarity pressed on, "I want to blame you. I _want_ to, because it's been made to feel right. But I can't do that in good conscience, and dear Applejack helped me realize why. And now that this Alucard brute is doing whatever he's doing, it's getting harder and harder to blame you."

"So what are you saying?" Rainbow asked, keeping her voice low and steady.

"I suppose...I'm saying that I still _want_ to blame you for what happened to poor Spitfire. But I don't blame you, Rainbow Dash. I can't, no matter how much I want to...and it's not simple to explain why. If there were one reason, I'd like it to be because I believe in you. But I also can't say that, because it's not yet the truth.

"Parts of me want to make sure you're safe and sound, but other parts want to see you jailed. I'm completely torn between whether or not I should forgive you. I _want_ to, just like I _want_ to blame you. But I can't do either...it's not yet possible. Do you understand?"

Rainbow let out a soft whinny, her annoyance flaring. "No, not really."

"I do," Twilight offered.

Before Rainbow could ask why, she heard other voices saying the same thing. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both repeated their unicorn friend, warm smiles accompanying their words.

"But I think it is kinda simple," a certain pink party pony began. "Wanna know how?"

Applejack gave her another stare, but this time it was encouraging.

"It's because you're here, talking to us! And not out in some no-mare's land where we can't find you. If you're willing to stay and chat, then we should be willing to stay, too!"

"And what would happen if I wanted to run away again?"

Pinkie blinked, but grinned. "Oh, that's easy. You wouldn't."

"And why not?"

"Also easy! Because not only do we need to welcome you back home, but we also need to make up for lost fun! You've been gone for four years - that's four birthdays we've missed! Not to mention four of _our_ birthdays that _you_ have missed, so you'll need to stick around!"

Finally, after the time spent talking with her friends, Rainbow was at a loss for words. She still felt stormy, angry at herself for all she had done, yet she still felt a warm feeling start inside her when she saw the carefree smile of Pinkie Pie.

Rainbow did, however, notice her scar. On the night that she had fled, Pinkie had been the victim to Spitfire's anger. A solid hoof-punch had cut into her cheek, and the wound had left a light, long scar that could easily be ignored. Rainbow didn't know the mark's origin, of course, but the sight of it next to Pinkie's smile just seemed to make her beaming face all the brighter. And before long, the pegasus found herself returning with a shy smirk.

"I might be a downer," she joked.

Rainbow Dash forced herself to laugh. It was forced, but it felt good - like every exhalation allowed a weight to shift from her shoulders, off to wherever the world deemed it needed most. Soon, her friends joined in, giving each other small but warm smiles. There was hope yet.

"Say, Rainbow?" Fluttershy began. She looked like she had just thought up a brilliant idea. "Since Princess Celestia said we should stay in the library, you don't mind if we all stay together with you, do you?"

All eyes turned to the cyan pegasus, who in turn looked at the yellow one as she processed the question. "Do you really want me to stay with you guys?"

"Oh, absolutely! It would mean so much to me, to all of us. Right, girls?" she asked, looking around. Four additional heads nodded as one. Rainbow Dash couldn't hold back a genuine smile.

Twilight floated down her pillows and comforter from the loft, arranging them neatly on the library floor. The group of six closed in on itself, every pony finding some room to lie down comfortably, with the pegasus of many colors held firmly in the middle. The lanterns were magically coaxed to darken, and it took a while before the reunited friends stopped squirming, but eventually sleep began to claim them.

Rarity nodded off first, naturally, having used so much of her magic over the last five days. Pinkie fell shortly after, going out like a light. Fluttershy and Twilight soon joined the consensual slumber, and finally Applejack began to close her eyelids. Rainbow could easily see that the farm mare was fighting sleep, trying to see how long she could outlast the call.

The pegasus looked around, finally coming to terms with where she was and with whom. For the first time in four long, agonizing years, she was back with her friends, in the company of those who deeply cared for her. That fact was marred by the catalyst of her return - the dark orb and Alucard - but it was a fact nonetheless, and Rainbow was thankful for it.

But deep down, she knew that it was too early to feel relief or elation. If what she believed was true, then her troubles were not yet over. But then, if they were _not_ true, and Alucard held the key...then what? It was a great wall of a question before her, one with no doors or windows with which to garner clues.

She was still scared. She couldn't deny it, and it would be a lie if she tried. But perhaps she could begin to move forward now, if only a little at a time. Test the bridges in her life to see if they had been burned.

A movement to her left drew her gaze - Applejack had shifted closer, wrapping her foreleg across Rainbow's shoulders. She pulled her friend close, offering a comforting hug. Even for such a strong worker, Applejack was not without emotion.

"Sorry 'bout earlier. I'm just so fed up because I couldn't keep ya safe last time," she whispered. "I'll do better, okay?"

Rainbow nodded, shutting her eyes to the darkened library around her. That sounded like a promise.

**End chapter eleven**

Author's comments: This one was an uphill battle. I'm certain that dialogue chapters are the bane of my creativity, and that goes double for chapters that follow action scenes. I can't tell you how relieved I am to get this out.

One thing I am proud of: Princess Celestia. I hope I was able to portray her as not a royal princess or a static figure, but as a dynamic persona - an individual mare with her own fears and feelings. Nothing can quite bring out the anger like a strike at home; in her case, the injuries that her dear sister is suffering.

Co-author's comments: Normally I'm great with dialogue, but this chapter had me at a stand-still. Aaron himself struggled the most, because he's the one who wrote it. I tried to pitch in ideas, but nothing came about. I think the problem to that was simply because I didn't know the chapter itself until it was fully written. But anyways, I'm glad it turned out this way. I have a lot of respect for Aaron after the way he wrote out Celestia's dialogue, and Applejack's. Both characters were the top two in this chapter I could easily visualize as if I were watching a MLP episode. Kudos, buddy!

Next chapter: Interlude three of three. Even if you are not able to forgive yourself, it's a good step to seek forgiveness from those you've wronged. Rainbow Dash decides to seek forgiveness from the one mare she's wronged the most - Spitfire, former captain of the ruined Wonderbolts.


	12. Interlude: Still I Grieve

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>The thrilling thrills of the thrill-seeking...bronies.<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: The only ponies I want are the kinds I can find for sale on Ebay. You know the kinds I mean - ones I can place on my desk to watch me while I write. That means I don't want the ponies owned by Faust, Theisson, or Hasbro. Got it?

Let's get moving. When we last left our heroines, they had held a heart-wrenching talk with Rainbow Dash about why she tried to end her life. We also learned that the stallion Alucard has been orchestrating some of the misfortune that has befallen our friends. What could he be planning?

This chapter is the final interlude in the trio. In it, we will see Rainbow's attempt to seek forgiveness from another mare who was ruined four years ago: Spitfire. But can she ever forgive Rainbow for what has happened?

ACT II - _The Pariah_  
><strong>Chapter twelve:<strong> Interlude III: Still I Grieve

Even given the short time since having been found, Rainbow Dash was making steady progress toward being healthy. A constant supply of food and drink kept her strength up, and a barest hint of weight began to show along her stomach. It was this newfound strength - or, rather, _reclaimed_ strength - that prompted Rainbow and her best friend to make a little trip outside Ponyville.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash moved slowly, not at all in a hurry to make their destination. Although, it would be more accurate to say _Rainbow_ was in no hurry. While she was the one who mentioned it, she never intended to actually seek out Spitfire, especially after what had happened four years ago.

It began earlier that morning. While she and her friends were waking up from their spots on the library floor, Rainbow Dash had mentioned the virtue of forgiveness. Mainly, how she was shocked to see her old friends accepting her so openly. There was an underlying friction with them all, like they hadn't yet forgiven her (_'I guess Rarity was right,'_ she had mused), but the fact that they welcomed her back was incredibly comforting.

Their conversation eventually led back to the tragedy at the tryouts, and how furious Spitfire had been the following evening. Rainbow had lamented that she would like to at least try to apologize to her, if for nothing more than closure. But, she said, it wouldn't matter, as she would never be able to find the stuntmare.

That was when she got a surprise - Spitfire lived nearby. As it turned out, the fiery pegasus had been caring for Soarin' even since he was permanently grounded, providing medicine and support when needed. The two of them had been offered a small home outside of Everfree, where they could visit the herbalist Zecora and acquire medicine when they ran low.

Which brought them to where they now stood. Well off the beaten path, the simple house of the former daredevils was seen, growing larger as they closed the distance. The house was welcoming enough, boasting a second floor and a small balcony - which, oddly enough, had been neglected for a couple years at least. Despite the disrepair of the wooden balcony, the building as a whole was warm and inviting.

Rainbow was rooted to the spot.

"Easy, now," Applejack encouraged. "Y'all said this is somethin' ya need to do, remember?"

The cyan pegasus gulped. "Yeah, but...it was easy just _talking_ about it. This is something else."

Before long, the pair moved forward once again, finally reaching the door of the house. With a moment to glance at her friend, Applejack lifted a hoof and gently rapped on the door.

There was a sound of movement from within, and in a short span of time, the door slowly opened. On the other side stood a bright-yellow mare, her red-orange mane gently sweeping over her head. When she first opened the door, her gaze had been gentle and curious. When she saw Applejack, however, a trace of hardiness tainted her gaze.

"Mornin', Spitfire," the farm mare greeted. She offered a warm smile, one that kept the yellow pegasus from glancing over her shoulder and seeing a certain somepony cowering behind.

Spitfire's mouth turned into a curious slash as she recalled the name. "It's Applejack, right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I wasn't expecting anypony today, least of all you...no offense. What brings you by?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow, giving a light grin. "Let's call it...opportunity." She side-stepped, revealing her rainbow-maned friend to the former captain.

For a moment, they merely stared at each other. It had been years since they had last met, and needless to say, their last meeting was nothing short of disastrous. Spitfire's mind had gone numb, but as the feeling returned, an old fire was brought with it. She narrowed her eyes, turning her gaze from Rainbow Dash to her farm pony friend.

She spoke calmly, wrestling for control over what was obviously anger. "What's the meaning of this?"

Rainbow tried to talk, but Applejack spoke first. "Ah reckon it's opportunity, like Ah said."

"_Cute_," she growled. "And what would I do with this _opportunity_?"

Applejack's grin faded, and her tone turned serious. Not condescending, but firm. "Four years ago, Ah told ya that you could be angry with Rainbow Dash all ya wanted. Ah bet there were some things that went unsaid...well, now ya can have your chance. Ah reckon the two of ya would try and figure somethin' out," she finished with a sideways glance at Rainbow.

Spitfire's focus returned to Rainbow Dash, who instinctively averted her eyes. For a long moment, neither of them spoke - the stuntmare simply stared, fighting an inner battle with her feelings trying to decide if she should react and in what fashion.

Finally, with a huff, she turned away and walked into her house. But she left the door open. A quick look inside revealed that she was standing next to the doorway, her back turned, waiting for Rainbow to enter. The invitation was not lost to the pair, though Rainbow Dash was anxious.

Applejack moved close, murmuring loud enough so her recovering friend could hear. "This is somethin' you gotta do, Dash. C'mon, now, you're only a few steps away."

Rainbow shook her head, feeling a flight of panic. "I don't know what I'll do."

"Ya never once got by jus' on _thinkin'_, Rainbow. You're a pony of action, ain't ya?" she asked, giving her a helpful nudge along the shoulder. "Don't think, jus' talk. It'll come to ya."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts, ponygirl. Get in there and make things right," Applejack urged, nudging her closer to the doorway. With that boost, Rainbow walked the final few feet, stepping into the house. When she turned her head, Applejack was standing outside, content to wait and let her friend fight her own battle.

Spitfire slowly closed the door, and they were alone. Rainbow Dash immediately turned her head away, unable or unwilling to meet her steely gaze. For a long moment, they simply stood, neither speaking and neither wanting to be where they currently were.

The silence grew too heavy. "I thought you were dead."

Rainbow slowly looked up, meeting the gaze of her old idol. The stare was not a welcoming one.

"I _wished_ you were dead," Spitfire added. She stepped around the weakened pony, considering every sickly detail. "From the looks of you, it's like you _were_ dying. What in Equestria happened to make you...you know what, no, I don't want to know."

"Spitfire..." Rainbow began. She didn't know what she was going to say.

"The last time I saw you," Spitfire continued, oblivious to the mare's murmuring, "you were escaping from a hospital when you were in desperate need of care. You flew right into a storm, an idiot move by all accounts. You even _bashed_ me across the head and sent me crashing to the ground. That was four years ago. I'm sure you remember it as well as I do."

'_I do,'_ she thought. The anguish at learning what had befallen her dream team was something that could never be forgotten.

"Now look at you. Starved to death, wings barely hanging on, your mane is more of a disaster than I remember it being...what kind of hell did you crawl through, kid?"

Rainbow turned her gaze away as she considered telling her what had happened. Thinking better of it, she avoided the question. "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

Spitfire visibly tensed - her breath stopped short and her eyes went narrow. "What?"

With a sigh, Rainbow Dash finally lifted her head. She looked Spitfire square in the eye. There was no turning back now. "I'm sorry."

As before, a heavy silence claimed them. Spitfire's face shifted from shock to wonder, then finally settled on disgust. She was insulted. She began laughing. It wasn't pleasant.

"You..._please_ tell me you're not serious. You can't honestly expect it to be that _easy_, can you?" she asked, a sudden sadistic glee in her eye.

Her response was silence as Rainbow Dash merely looked on.

"You show up out of nowhere, looking like a walking corpse, and tell me you're sorry?" Spitfire went on. She walked to one of her windows, looking outside to the awaiting draft pony. "And I suppose your friend out there told you that you should? She told you that if you apologized, everything would be alright? _Phah_," she spat, "you're either really hopeful or just plain stupid."

"Please listen, I-"

"And NOW, you want to talk? NOW you come to me, years later, expecting everything to just be fine?" She turned and unfurled her wings, letting the full force of her anger erupt on the unfortunate cyan pony. She stood in front of the window, blocking the natural light - Rainbow was thrown into shadow. "DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT YOU _TOOK_ FROM ME?"

"I do know!" Rainbow shouted back, desperate to be heard.

"Then how _dare_ you come here! How _dare_ you show your face to me! _How dare you say you're sorry!_" Spitfire moved forward, standing over Rainbow like a queen over her subjects. Her voice trembled. "You ruined everything, damn you! All that I had is gone because of _you!_"

"_I know!_" Rainbow cried. She shrank to her haunches, no longer able to look Spitfire in the eye. "I know, it's my fault, I'm responsible, and I'm sorry! I want to take it all back...I want to make things right!"

Spitfire stomped both forehooves on the floor, bringing her head down at the same time. The force shook a nearby table. "You want to make things right?"

"Yes! I'd give anything!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Bring them back."

Rainbow paused. "Wh...what?"

"_Bring them back_. Give me back what you took from me. Give me back my team!" Spitfire was shrieking like a banshee, her anger giving way to madness.

"I-I can't...that's not-"

"_Don't you DARE tell me it's impossible!_ Bring them back! Make things _right!_"

"Spitfire-"

"_DO IT!_"

Rainbow curled herself into a ball, trembling on the floor. She couldn't answer, and that fueled Spitfire's rage even further. Her eyes flashed in a new level of fury, and she brought her right hoof up and around. She decided, then and there, that she didn't care what Rainbow had to say. If Rainbow Dash wouldn't make things right, then Spitfire would simply make things _better_.

The yellow pegasus cried out, a heartbeat away from hitting the poor mare, when a strong voice called to her. "Spitfire!"

With a gasp, Spitfire looked up to the source of the voice. A third body had entered the room long ago, seeing everything. Soarin' stood a few yards away, gazing at his ex-captain with a mix of worry and _disappointment_. The two of them locked gazes, unspoken words passing between them.

After a long moment, Spitfire clenched her eyes shut. She fumed, a low scream bubbling in her throat. As the growl increased in volume, her raised hoof began to shake. She was fighting every urge to hit the mare before her, but it was a losing battle. Finally, unable to contain herself, Spitfire turned her head, sighted the small table, and punched the innocent furnishing with all the rage she now held.

The table flew across the room, sending its' contents pouring onto the floor. Spitfire pounced on the upturned table, landing on it at an angle - her slam left a sizable impression of a hoof. She continued to abuse the unfortunate wood, breaking the top and the legs alike, until finally her fury was spent and all that remained of the table was kindling and large chips.

The whole time she was trampling, Rainbow kept her eyes shut. She visibly flinched at every sound of splintering wood, and understandably so: she could easily see herself being that table instead. As the sound of cracking furniture faded and the sound of Spitfire's heavy breathing remained, Rainbow chanced looking up.

Spitfire was leaning her body forward, panting in exertion. Here eyes were wide, staring without seeing upon the destruction she had wrought. The way she carried herself - bared teeth, maddened eyes, fluttering wings - Rainbow was reminded of a feral beast of the wilds, caught in a fight-or-flight situation. Except this beast would not only fight once, but she would also seek out the next.

Soarin' slowly walked across the room. As he moved, Rainbow was able to see his right wing for the first time in years. While she had heard that Soarin' was disabled, she was never able to appreciate the scale of his injury. His left wing was healthy and strong, what you would expect from a former aerial ace such as he. However, his right wing was frail, thin, and in every other sense simply unfit for flight. It was similar to how Rainbow's wings were - unused and left to wither - but in a different sense. Rainbow's neglect of her wings had been by choice, and that didn't seem to be the case with Soarin'.

And then Rainbow Dash saw why. Further along the bone, where the wing met torso, a disturbing bald patch in his coat revealed a trailing scar. It was obvious that, while surgery had been involved during his time at the hospital, the scar was caused by no scalpel or other tool. Whatever had torn the skin had _emerged_, from the _inside_ - and Rainbow had no trouble guessing what could have so viciously rent the stallion's skin. In the end, it meant that Soarin' was physically incapable of using his right wing. All connection he had to it was cut off, and constant pain in his nerves reminded him of that.

It was a wonder - a _miracle_ - the wing had stayed on his body at all.

Soarin' crossed the room in a few shallow seconds, calmly walking up to Spitfire's side. He gently touched her shoulder, and as before, the two of them locked gazes. They didn't speak, but communication passed between them. After a moment spent in the stare, Soarin' broke away and left the room as quietly as he had entered.

As he left, Spitfire spoke again. Her voice was strained - the scream she had held inside had left her parched. "You're so cruel."

Rainbow didn't answer; she didn't know how she could.

"You probably have no idea of what you've _really_ done to me, do you?"

As before, she had no answer. Spitfire continued, finally walking back toward her.

"Ever since that day, I haven't been able to get over the pain. Four of my closest friends dead, another seriously injured, and the name I had strengthened was left to die in the wind. I had promised _my_ old captain that I would make the Wonderbolts better than ever, when he left the team to me. And all that ended...with you."

Slowly, Spitfire made her way to Rainbow Dash. But instead of glaring at her or making to strike her, the fiery pegasus sat next to her. Rainbow looked up, both surprised and anxious.

"You impressed me, kid. Every time I met you, you seemed to have this...this _gusto_ in you that just wouldn't be tamed. Your Sonic Rainboom, that tornado you formed...heh, even how you were so desperate to get my attention at the Grand Galloping Gala. You were determined to make it into my team, and I made sure you had the first best chance to prove yourself.

"I wanted you on the team. Did I ever tell you that? I pulled quite a few strings to get you the first spot at the tryouts. There was that gusto in you that just intrigued me, told me that you would stop at nothing in order to get what you wished."

'_What I wished...'_ Rainbow mused. She felt a surge of guilt as she recalled her first meeting with Alucard.

"I have to wonder, kid...did I ever do anything to you? Did I say something that set you off, led you to do this to me?"

It was a real question with genuine pain behind it. Rainbow continued to look up at her, softly shaking her head. "No, never."

"So you ruined me just because it was fun, is that it?"

"N-no, I-I..." She couldn't bring herself to explain.

Spitfire sighed. When she spoke, her voice began to break. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

Rainbow Dash turned her gaze down, once again finding silence as her only answer. _'This was a mistake, this was all a mistake, I never should have mentioned this, I should have talked Applejack out of it...'_

"Everyday, I see the same sight," Spitfire muttered. Her voice was low, as though passing on a hidden shame. "I'm reminded of the tryouts and that attack whenever I look at my wings...or see a cloud in the sky. Hell, even when I see innocent pegasi flying above. But the worst is that balcony. What kind of joke was that, really? Giving me a house with a second-story balcony, somewhere I could look down on the earth? It's just another reminder of all that I lost, all that I can never have again.

"What happened that day, at the tryouts...it really did ruin me. It didn't just take away the team that I had hoof-picked from years of candidates. It didn't just disable my closest teammate and leave him unable to enjoy the skies anymore. It also took away all the years and effort I had put into the team _before_ I made captain.

"Did you follow the Wonderbolts when they were led by my captain, Microburst?" Rainbow slowly shook her head. "Just as well, he was probably before your time. I never wanted to take his place, kid; I was happy just being on the team. But after flying together for several years, he entrusted the name to me. He made me promise that I would take the Wonderbolts to new horizons, ones he had never shown us.

"And I tried my best...I made new training regimes, I held higher standards for my team, I made every show as perfect as I could. The choices I made were for the good of the team. We never even had a headquarters in Canterlot until after I was captain. I helped us find a home in the royal city, and I worked for it with every fiber of my being. I knew I was doing my captain proud with every choice I made.

"But then, you came along," Spitfire continued, a trace of hatred seeping in her tone. "You show up with your talent and your pride, and you get my attention. You make me think you're Wonderbolt material, and I make exceptions to get you an opportunity in the tryouts. And instead of proving to me that you're worth my time, you...you..."

Spitfire closed her eyes, berating herself for breaking up like she had. As she drew in her grief, she seemed to look older than she was, like the events of the last few years had stolen more life from her than normal. She sucked in a shaky breath - her voice cracked when she spoke again.

"I can't escape it. Every day, I see it again. I see that dark _thing_ hitting me and my team, see the ponies I had carefully chosen over the years just...lie on the ground...I-I see Soarin' in the urgent care center, thrashing about as they save his wing...and I see _you_, too. I see you everywhere.

"And the more I think about it, about all I've lost...the more I see you. Even when I remember flying with Microburst, I see you. When I remember the day I signed up...I see you, and what you brought with you. You _ruined_ me, ruined _everything_ I've worked for, and I..."

For a long moment, Spitfire was at a loss. She brought a hoof to her mouth, mentally chewing over her thoughts, trying to find some form of control. She sat like that, taking deep breaths to keep herself from breaking. A long minute passed, until finally...

"I...I-I can't do it, Rainbow Dash. I c-can't forgive you."

That simple statement tore through Rainbow's thoughts like a stone through water. The words burned into her, mentally branding her with the heat of a crucible. For a moment, Rainbow stared ahead, unmoving. That moment was doomed to die, however, as her shoulders began to heave. Restrained sobs broke through her, filling the air with their clattering sound. The cyan pegasus gently placed her head in her forelegs, face-down, throwing her vision into darkness. Hot tears began to soak her face.

Rainbow cried. She cried with the pent-up anguish of the last four years. She cried with the lingering fear of storms and flying and everything she now hated. She cried with the memory of her attempted suicide, both on the rocks and in the library. And when she ran out of reasons to cry, she just kept crying because it gave purpose to her pain.

Spitfire let her cry until all that was left were dry hiccups and the sound of sniffing. The stuntmare stood up, turned, and looked at Rainbow's heaving form. She spoke clearly, choosing her words carefully.

"Do you still want to make things right?"

Rainbow tried to respond, but was interrupted by a heavy sob.

"Do you?"

"Y-yes," she managed. "More th-than anything."

Spitfire nodded. "Then be better than me."

The former exile halted her sobs long enough to lift her gaze. She questioned Spitfire with her eyes, clearly confused.

"Look, kid, I've made my choice. I've chosen to stay here and take care of Soarin', and I've chosen to stay trapped in the bad memories of my past. I'm letting myself stay here, and I won't move forward again. It's too late for me, but you..."

Slowly, Spitfire extended a hoof toward Rainbow Dash. "Don't think I've forgotten all the good you've done. Not only have you helped Equestria with monsters I've never seen, but I still remember how you saved my life in Cloudsdale. And despite how I can't ever forgive you, I won't let you become like me. I won't let you stay down.

"Now get up. Get up, and move forward. Be better than me."

Rainbow's lip trembled as she stared at the offered hoof. She untangled her own forelegs and reached upward, hooking her hoof around Spitfire's. The latter waited a moment, then pulled up and away, helping Rainbow to rise. When she stood, the two of them looked at each other.

Somewhere in Rainbow's mind, she knew that the two of them had found equal ground. It had taken tragedy and agony to reach it, but now they stood - not as captain and trainee, not as idol and fan, not as victim and criminal. Simply two mares who had finally reached an understanding, bitter though it was.

The cyan pegasus wiped her eyes and sniffed one last time, feeling calm - true calm - settle over her. A weight had been lifted from her, the burden of her guilt. It wasn't perfect, and would leave an impression on her forever, but it was finally gone, and it was simply relieving. When she opened her eyes again, they were steady. Sad, yes, but steady.

She nodded. "Th...thank you."

"For what?" Spitfire asked.

"For letting...letting me apologize."

"Ah," she breathed. "Don't mention it, kid."

Rainbow nodded again, giving a small smile. "I'll go now. I won't bother you again, I promise."

Spitfire returned the nod as the former exile turned to leave. By the time she reached the door, however, the fiery pegasus called out one more time.

"Hey, Rainbow. One last thing."

She turned her head. "Mmm?"

"Those clouds from yesterday, the ones that appeared out of nowhere...did you have something to do with that?"

Rainbow blinked, not at all expecting the question. _'She must mean the clouds that Alucard summoned yesterday,'_ she mused. "N-no, but...I think I know the one who did."

Spitfire hummed, looking at the mare with a knowing face. "Something big is about to happen, isn't there?"

"...yes."

There was a heavy meaning behind the answer, one that Spitfire picked up. "I see..."

Spitfire glanced over to the side of the room, where the remains of the table were left haphazardly. She let out a quick sigh. "I have faith in you, kid."

Without waiting for a response, Spitfire turned and walked out of the room, following the route Soarin' had taken earlier. She rounded a corner, then was gone, leaving only the echo of her hoofsteps. Soon, those were gone too.

Rainbow gazed after her for a moment, left with no choice but to accept her words. She hesitated, the smile on her lips growing more solid. The previous night, she had given thought to testing the bridges in her life, to see whether or not she had burned them. Somehow, by divine grace, this particular bridge stood scorched but strong. After giving a nod to the empty room, Rainbow opened the door. The mild air of the outside rushed in to greet her, and she stepped out into the sunlight.

Applejack was resting against the side of the house, her hat pulled over her eyes. She spoke without looking up. "Sounds like things got pretty hairy in there."

Rainbow looked over, silently giggling at the sight of her friend. "It wasn't so bad."

With a grunt, the farm mare twisted and stood. She walked over to the pegasus, looking her square in the eye. "You okay?"

The former exile looked behind her, taking in the details of the house one more time. She held her gaze on the neglected balcony above their heads, mulling over all Spitfire had told her. While before, the balcony had served to confuse Rainbow, now it served as a symbol. It was neglected, decaying, and unappealing - but still it was strong, and there remained a chance for it yet.

"_I have faith in you, kid,"_ Spitfire had said. Perhaps there was a chance for Rainbow Dash, too.

She let out a satisfying sigh, bringing her head forward once more. "Yes, I am."

A moment passed as the two of them simply enjoyed the day. Before long, Rainbow Dash began walking back toward Ponyville, muttering about how it was nearly lunchtime. Applejack guffawed, rushing to catch up.

That was the last time Rainbow Dash ever saw Spitfire. Despite the history the two of them held, both were a little stronger after what had happened that day in her house. It was a meeting that was wanted by neither, but needed by both...and Rainbow Dash was not the only one to smile that day.

**End chapter twelve**

Author's comments: So ends Act II of this story. I believe this is one of the chapters that I have enjoyed the most, and definitely my favorite of the interludes, particularly because of the chance to touch on the Wonderbolts one more time. They can be _very_ deep characters if you give them the chance.

Co-author's comments: This was an 'interlude'? Dear sweet Celestia! I wasn't expecting this many pages, despite knowing what the chapter was about beforehand. It also surprised me as to how much help I was in the interlude as well. Not really any major details, the "Don't you know what you took from me" line was originally all bold. The first time Aaron would have had bold text in the story itself, but I thought it stuck out too much like a sore thumb, and suggested making it all capital letters. Both of us liked it, and I like it because it shows more power in the words, rather than having the words stick out.

Stay tuned from here on, folks. Act III is where all the excitement is.

Next chapter: Rain without Rainbows, Act III: The Prestige. As promised, Alucard brings his storm to Equestria. Before he can fulfill his goal, however, he'll need to deal with Celestia herself. Yet he is confident, because even Celestia cannot hope to guess what he has planned.


	13. Seed of Darkness

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>A story that deserves a better title!<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: The ponies of Skyrim in the World of Warcraft can never take my claims to Isengard, because one does not simply Brian D. all over the Mohave Wasteland. And before everyone sues me for using so many references, lemme be clear: Faust, Theisson, Hasbro. Thank them.

Welcome to the final act of the story. For those who have forgotten, we last left the tale on the third interlude, where Rainbow Dash apologized to Spitfire in the latter's home. We learned the source of the showmare's pain, and despite not getting a perfect ending, Rainbow Dash left happier.

Which now brings us back to the plot. The Royal Sisters, back home, are using every resource to track down Alucard before he makes a move. Little do they know how active he already is. We begin!

ACT III - _The Prestige_  
><span><strong>Chapter thirteen:<strong> Seed of Darkness

Autumn had begun.

It had been seven days since a certain dark orb of magic first assaulted Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. Five days since Rainbow Dash was found huddled in a cave on the far edge of Everfree. Two days since Luna's encounter with a powerful stallion left her with a crippled wing. One day since Rainbow Dash sought out Spitfire for the final time.

Canterlot moved with a buzzing activity. It was a sense that hummed through everypony, including the refugees from Ponyville. Those who could were busying themselves with the odd task or hobby, while those with nothing else to do simply waited for the call to return home. But all of them easily noticed how quickly the Royal Guard moved about the palace, most of them either carrying out an order or standing like a statue with eyes of a hawk. When one of them went to report or had just left with an assignment, they wasted little time - ponies in their way were quickly pushed aside.

It was late in the morning.

Princess Luna rested her head against her night-blue bed. She sat aside from it, her left pressing on the comforter, while her right side remained exposed to two sets of careful eyes. This had been the third time since returning that Celestia had brought the best doctor in the city to her sister's personal chambers, where she could carefully watch as the splint and bandages on the injured wing were replaced.

This was simply tiresome. Luna knew, of course, how important it was to exchange her wrappings. What drew Luna's ire wasn't the doctor visiting her room at Celestia's behest. Rather, it was how Celestia insisted on doing everything herself, including raising and lowering the moon, while Luna recovered. So worried was she over her little sister, she was denying Luna her royal duty, her right, her greatest pride.

Out of respect to her sister, however, Luna had remained silent on the matter. But the cost of her silence - her mounting perturbation - was growing a little too heavy. She was still a Princess of Canterlot, and manipulating the moon was something she enjoyed. It wouldn't hurt to ask Celestia about it, surely.

The white bandages suddenly tightened to a snug fit. "All set," the doctor eventually said. His unicorn horn faded as his magic was dispelled, but not before he recovered the various tools he had brought along. "I'm sure I don't need to keep saying this, but remember to leave your wing as alone as possible, Your Highness. Such a compound fracture takes time to heal."

Luna nodded. "I'm aware, thank you."

Celestia leaned forward. "Sister, are you in any pain?"

"A little. Like a knife pricking my spine." She rolled her back experimentally, and was rewarded with a hot burst of pain lancing through her. She was lying about how little there was - there was no prick, only a stab.

"I'll leave some medicine for you," the doctor stated. "Something a little stronger than recommended, but I feel it's necessary for you, Princess."

Luna nodded, but said nothing, opting instead to close her eyes. Sensing that he was staying past his welcome, the unicorn doctor stood up, his bag held aloft magically, and made his way to the door leading out. Using his magic, he pulled out a bottle with a clear liquid inside - the not-quite-recommended medicine he had mentioned - and set it on a nearby table. Celestia walked next to him.

"Thank you for all you've done," she offered, opening the door for him with an outstretched wing.

The doctor nodded modestly. "It's my pleasure, Highness, I assure you. Will you need anything before I return to my clinic?"

"Nothing, thank you."

He bowed, his bag tilting to match his movement. "Send for me with anything you need." With a polite smile, he departed, and Celestia allowed the door to swing close after him. Before long, she gently walked back to Luna, sitting next to her quietly.

"How much pain are you _really_ in?"

Luna smirked. Celestia had always seen through her lies. "It waxes and wanes."

A golden corona enveloped the bottle that the doctor left behind. With a precision that came from centuries of mastery, Celestia uncorked the container and magically coaxed a small amount of the liquid into the air. She floated the medicine to Luna, who managed to catch a whiff of it. Her snout recoiled.

"You're not going to make me drink that, are you?"

Celestia merely laughed, and her sister opened her mouth, allowing the vile liquid to enter. As soon as the medicine touched her tongue, she swallowed. A moment passed before she coughed. Luna's face was contorted in disgust.

"I can see why it's not recommended," she jested. "I might as well be drinking mud."

"It can't be that bad, surely?"

"It's _sticking_ to the roof of my mouth," Luna deadpanned.

Celestia laughed again, gently re-corking the bottle and returning it to the table. The two sat in silence for a while, the elder sister gently stroking the magical mane of the younger. The soft sound of their breathing only brought into sharper focus the cost of Luna's silence. She sighed, about to speak, but was interrupted by Celestia talking first.

"I have teams scouring the Everfree Forest in search of the stallion who did this to you," she said. "The first team should be reporting back within the hour."

"That's good to hear," Luna replied. "Do you suppose they will find him?"

"You let me worry about Alucard, dear sister. I want you to focus on recovering."

With a grunt, the moon regent brought her head to bear. "You can't just keep me protected, Tia. There must be something that I can do, as well."

"You've done enough," Celestia crooned, offering a gentle smile that only Luna would see. "You helped in Ponyville far more than you should have, and you personally saw to curing Rainbow Dash of her condition. What's more, you saved a pony's life. You saved Twilight."

"I did exactly what was expected of me," came the reply, rife with shame. "He planned out my every move. Alucard sent his magic against Ponyville just to lure me out. Just to get me alone."

"Sister-"

"I should have guessed, I should have seen that something was amiss," she continued. "His entire plan with assaulting the town was just _made_ to be investigated. He pulled me along, insulted me, and left me with...with _this_!"

Luna angrily swept her foreleg in the direction of her injured wing, immediately getting a stab of pain for her troubles. She grimaced, both to the burning and her anger.

"I was such a foal."

"You were not," Celestia calmly began, leaning in to nuzzle her sister. "You were merely tricked. We all were."

Luna huffed. "And that's what infuriates me the most. He was so easily able to fool us all. We were all so easily baited. Why did we not consider him in the first place?"

"You know why. It's because we didn't even know he was involved. All we had was what we knew of the magic and what had happened to Rainbow Dash. It's not your fault."

"Couldn't we have prepared better?"

"It doesn't matter now." There was a hint of steel in Celestia's tone. She, too, was insulted by the dark stallion. "The damage is done, and it's only a matter of time before we find Alucard and bring him to justice."

"Good. I want to be there when we pass judgment." Luna was angry, but she was forced to stifle a yawn. The medicine was working faster than she cared. "I want to make sure a...fitting end is met."

Celestia gave a warm smile at her sister's actions. "You let me worry about him, dear sister."

"There has to be...more I can do."

"You've done more than enough, Luna. Let me be the princess for now. You just focus on being my little sister, and let me take care of you." The Sun Regent stood up, helping her little sister on her bed. Luna rested on the comforter, not even bothering to get beneath the blankets, taking great care to keep her right wing held aloft.

"Will you let...let me raise the moon tonight, Tia?"

Celestia's smile faltered. Despite how much she loved her sister, she sorely wished that Luna would focus on recovering. The whole reason Celestia had assumed responsibility for the moon again was so Luna wouldn't need to concern herself with it.

"We'll see, sister. We'll see."

The moon princess opened her mouth again as though to speak, but emitted only a gentle sigh. She was finally eased into sleep, her head going limp on her night-blue pillows.

Celestia gently ran a hoof along her beloved sister's foreleg, wishing her only the best of recoveries. When the moment passed, the once-again sole ruler of Equestria turned and walked briskly toward the door. She stepped out into the hallway, nodded to two guards who were stationed there, and made her way down the stairs to the palace proper.

The activity that was before Celestia was akin to a vortex - any number of Royal Guards galloped to and fro, carrying out orders and seeing to crucial tasks. Normally, mornings in Canterlot were not so hectic, though the palace was often the exception. Despite the massive increase in activity, the way for the Sun Princess was instantly made clear, the vortex splitting down the middle and accepting her into its maw.

Her eyes darted from one guard to the next, taking stock of their urgency. She recognized them all, but none were the ones she sought. She had been telling the truth when she said her first search party should be reporting back, and the sooner she had news, the sooner she could act. And while each guard pony she saw moved with haste, none of them moved _toward_ her, which meant none of them had updates.

She continued moving through the palace, eventually turning the corner to enter the hallways just outside her throne room. This was one place that seemed at-odds with the rest of the city - there was a score of battle-ready Royal Guards stationed outside the regal doors, but none of them moved, save for their eyes and ears. As before, Celestia instantly recognized them. These brave soldiers were members of her personal guard, those who would stand before a torrential storm without question if only to shield her from the rain. It had been she who had assigned them here, and it served two purposes: one was to give a sense that Celestia was in the room, but unable to speak to the citizens. A sense of security and normalcy. The other was much the same as the first - to give a sense that Celestia was in the room, and thus bait a possible assault by Alucard on the room.

It was a long shot of a strategy, but Celestia had faith in her personal guard. And besides, since Alucard had baited her sister so easily, what better way to humiliate him than with the same ploy? Diversion, distraction, deceit.

Celestia did not stop, but did take a moment to pass her eyes over the face of each guard. They gazed back, a glint behind their eyes marking their only greeting. Not a single one of them chose to bow or nod. They all knew, as she did, that this was a time of crisis, and it would do well to abandon the status quo.

She turned her gaze forward again, and saw a pleasing sight. Finally, after several minutes of walking the halls, she came upon a pair of earth pony guards who were walking _toward_ her. They were two from the scouting party she had sent into the Everfree Forest, finally come to report their findings - or lack thereof, as it turned out.

She reached them a few yards beyond the throne room doors, where they stopped for a moment to bow. "Report," she commanded.

One of the guards couldn't hold back a wince. If there was one thing he missed, it was how kind and gentle his Majesty had been before her sister was attacked. Celestia had been sharp and concise for over a day now, and it made the guard miss the more peaceful ruler to whom he had sworn fealty.

Regardless, the pair of guards rose as one, and the elder snapped off the bad news. "Our initial search did not turn up any signs of the alicorn, Your Highness. All we found were tracks left by the wildlife and the hut of Zecora the zebra."

Celestia nodded grimly. She had expected as much. "What of the fliers? The pegasi?"

"Our pegasi did not find any traces of him having hidden in the trees, nor were there any remnants of a cloud shelter built over the forest. I apologize, Princess, it seems as though Alucard has effectively hidden his trail."

The sun regent frowned. _'Of course, it wouldn't be that simple.'_ "So be it. Is the second search underway?"

"Fully, Your Highness," the younger guard replied.

"Then delegate to the third and fourth search groups to convene into a larger team, and begin sweeping the forest from the back to the front. Tell them they are to begin with the hills. After which, you and your squad are to return to normal duty."

Without waiting a beat, the pair of guards turned and trotted down the way that had come. However, they did not get far.

For a pony with Celestia's power, the innate ability to sense magic was far stronger than the average unicorn. Even one with raw ability - Twilight Sparkle, for example - could only feel a fraction of what Celestia would feel. As it was, the regal alicorn was able to place the use of magic within an instant of it being conjured. Effectively, she could feel magic just after it was tapped yet just before it was put to a dedicated spell.

However, that's assuming the one casting the magic had the powers of a unicorn, and not the unmatched ability that was inborn of an alicorn. So when a streak of electric black magic shot down from the ceiling and hit the ground mere inches in front of the two departing guards, Celestia wasn't able to sense it until the sound reached her ears. Whoever had fired the attack had spent some time to contain the aura of the magic, effectively dampening Celestia's ability to sense it.

The attack itself lasted only a heartbeat, and the resulting sound of cracking air drew the eyes of everypony in the room, including the contingent of Celestia's personal guard behind her. Resembling a black bolt of lightning, the magic contacted the marble floors and spewed residual power randomly, much like how a splash in a puddle would send water flying. The sudden appearance of the attack caused the two guards to jump back, their nerves going taut.

As the sound of the crack rent the air, Celestia was able to pick up on the spell. It came as a surprise, and she wasted a moment wondering what had happened, before she followed the trail of ethereal magic to the origin. Before she saw the caster, she identified the magic. It was the same type as what she had seen in Ponyville.

Her gaze turned upward as she used her magical senses to trace the attack back. Not that she needed to, as the perpetrator was not taking any measures to conceal himself. He stared down from the rafters of the hallway, red eyes dancing with amusement. He was lying casually, resting on his haunches, his horn fading with the recent attack.

It was no longer necessary for Alucard to be found, because he had found her. Below him, Celestia glowered. _'Of course, it would be that simple,'_ she had thought. A thought that Alucard, with his telepathy magic, so easily read.

The alicorns of white and black stared at each other, one with disdain and one with a smirk. "I think," he spoke, flicking his gaze to the younger of the departing guards, "you may have hurt that one's feelings."

The world seemed to wake up at the sentence, and the entire score of battle-ready guards rushed to Celestia's side. The guards either spread wings, called on magic, or rapped the ground with their hooves. They were prepared to fight. They were ready to die.

Celestia, however, wasn't prepared to have deaths on her conscience, and so extended both wings to block their view of the dark stallion.

Above, Alucard gave a light laugh. "Are you protecting everypony? How considerate of y-"

His sentence was cut off by the sudden need to move away, because a sun-bright lance of magic was arcing toward him at literally a blinding speed. He rolled and fell, hearing the _crack_ of splintering wood where he had lay not two seconds ago. With a spread of his own wings, he slowed his descent and gently landed in front of Celestia, her personal guard, and the two he had terrified.

With a mild huff, he turned and faced Celestia, now at eye-level, and noticed the fading shine of her own magic. She had responded to his attack with one of her own. While Alucard wasn't surprised, he hadn't been expecting the attack so soon, and so was annoyed.

"What's this, then?" he called. "Aren't you going to ask me the questions that plague your mind? Find out what I have planned for you and yours?"

Celestia only spread her wings further, making herself appear as enraged as she felt. "You've come to my land inciting death. You've assaulted innocents. You've attacked my own sister and left her humiliated." She stepped forward, walking between the two guards until she blocked them from Alucard's gaze as well. Her guard now stood watching from her flank, and it was there she intended to keep them.

"You and I will have time to talk when you're locked in the dungeons. But for now," she growled, her exposed anger flickering behind her eyes, "we're beyond words."

Alucard lifted an eyebrow, both surprised and pleased at the turn of events. Sure, he had wanted to gloat like he had done with Luna, but if the elder sister wanted to expedite her own defeat, then he was only too happy to oblige. He squared his shoulders, spread his wings to match hers, and called on his magic once more. Celestia silently mirrored the action, and both their horns were awash in fields of magic, one golden and one electric-black.

"My storm has come, as promised," he prompted. His trademark smile creeped on his lips. "Your move."

The fortunate few who bore witness to what happened next were divided among those who retained their faith and those who had lost it. Regardless of how wild and fantastic their descriptions of the ensuing action were, there remained many solid facts found in each telling. The following is what was gathered from over a hundred accounts, ranging from the traumatic and cryptic to the exaggerated and proven.

Celestia attacked first, sending forth a bright volley of magical arrows that arced directly at Alucard. She had empowered them, imagining each arrow to the finest detail, including the odd scratch in the head or notch in the shaft. And when she imagined them, they were so.

Naturally, Alucard wasn't about to let her have a victory so easily. He cried out, overpowering the magic in his horn, while at the same time flapping his wings forward. The result was a crackling wave of shield magic, the exact kind used by Twilight Sparkle against his dark orb seven days prior. But instead of stopping the arrows, the wave of magic passed over them, and they faded from existence before they touched his coat. He had altered the shield spell with his siphon magic, a talent of which he was proud.

But he let his pride get the better of him. Celestia had been expecting such a move, and had fired off a second attack, much more powerful and direct than the arrows before. A solid streak of sun-white magic, thick as a barrel's width, which speared through the center of his magic and disabled it entirely. The speed of the attack made the arrows look like leaves caught in a wind, and Alucard was admittedly taken by surprise.

Diversion.

Thinking fast, he curled one wing in front of him, adding a layer of Luna's shield spell. It was effective against Celestia's attack, but the sheer force of the spell sent him careening down the hall and into a far wall. He grunted, the wind blowing out of him, as the residual magics of both spells dissipated around him. When the presence of the white-gold streak finally faded, he shook his head and recovered, now staring at his enemy with a little more caution and a lot less haughtiness.

Celestia stared back, her features cut from stone. Centuries of rule had given her the best poker face in the kingdom, even when it came to facing down those who wished her harm. She held.

The guards at her flank moved forward, hoping to take this opportunity to arrest the dark stallion. But their princess halted their advance with a gentle shake of her head. She knew that this wasn't over, and the worst was yet to come. She and Alucard had merely tested each other, tried each other's commitment and strength, and now there were a few less surprises to be had.

She eyed her personal guard, a hidden plan flashing behind her eyes. They nodded wordlessly.

Choosing not to speak – a break in habit, as it turned out – Alucard regained his focus and fired off a new spell. It flew through the air like a rippling rope, striking one of Celestia's wings while her attention was diverted. The spell immediately changed, taking the form of a heavy chain, which wrapped around her wing and then latched onto the ground.

The sudden tug of being held came as a small shock, and Celestia flicked her gaze from Alucard to the grey-black chain of magic. He smirked, certain that he would have an easier time of this as long as he kept things from going aerial. Not that he didn't enjoy fighting in flight; it was merely a hassle to keep eyes on everything, including what was below him.

"Gotcha," he called. "Why don't you just stay put and let me make this quick?"

Celestia gazed on him hard for a moment, then moved quickly. She called on her magic, funneling it down to her forelegs. When enough had built up, she slammed both hooves on the ground, spreading her spell. The displaced magic hit the ground, rotated, and began to grow, sending waves of golden power swirling around her.

Every inch of her body was graced with the spell, including her captured wing. Her magic worked against the dark chain, disintegrating it link by link. The field of her spell expanded further, destroying the remaining links that were holding fast to the floor, then faded from view.

The spell was a shockwave, and it had lasted only a few precious seconds, but Alucard was nonetheless impressed by it. So impressed, in fact, that he did not have a condescending remark. Rather, he spoke with respect in his tone, though he would never admit it.

"That's a new one," he said, starting to walk toward Celestia again. "Very useful in a tight situation. I wonder why dear Luna chose to ignore it?"

The sun regent didn't speak, but the comment made a thought bubble into her mind. Once it rose, Alucard tapped his telepathy magic, opened her mind, and read the thoughts as easily as words on a scroll. "I see. You never taught her how to do it."

"Luna was busy with other matters," she responded, deciding it would be fruitless to try and hide her thoughts, which moved faster than she.

"Indeed." Alucard shifted, breathing deeply. His eyes flashed, as well as his horn, bring into existence three small spheres, held together by a length of white power. Celestia recognized them as the three orbs Luna had described, the three that had so easily left her powerless.

It was an unknowable divine; Alucard's magic-stealing siphon spell. He glared hungrily at the sun princess. "I wonder how that spell is done?" he called.

Celestia lowered her head, pouring more power into her horn. It glowed to a brilliant white, blending in perfectly with her coat. "Trade secret."

The dark stallion spat. "Nothing is secret from me." He broke into a full gallop, flapping his wings for speed. Before long, he was mere feet away from the princess, eager to latch on one of his spheres and learn what he wanted.

Celestia made her move, leaping into the air with intentional flourish. Alucard's gaze followed her ascent, but he did not stop his run - and, in doing so, didn't see that he was now in the direct path of Celestia's personal guard.

Distraction.

An assortment of different stun and capture spells were fired upon Alucard, many of which merely fizzled and failed against his dark coat. Some of the earth ponies met the alicorn's charge with their own, throwing themselves against his limbs, wings, neck, and wherever else they could grasp. The pegasi took off and swooped low, barely passing over his head, but making sure to buck their hind legs against him as hard as they could manage.

The sudden assault - and indeed the ponies underhoof - caused Alucard to trip, and he fell to the ground for the second time in as many minutes. His momentum caused him to slide an extra yard, but he had a vengeful spell ready when he had finally coasted to a halt. He eyed one royal guard, who was trying to wrap Alucard's hind leg in a pincer hold (later decided to be a useless move given the size difference), and decided that it was time for blood to be spilled.

Alucard never got that chance. Celestia had seen the coming attack, and had swooped down and gathered the lone guard a mere heartbeat before the dark stallion's attack fired. A thick black bolt of magic spewed from his horn, rent the air, and burned away rafters above and nothing else. By the time Alucard saw that his target wasn't there, a small shower of the smoldering ceiling fell on his body. Now scowling, he leapt to his hooves, throwing his gaze around.

Celestia was in the air, gently hovering above her contingent of guards. Her personal guard, the two who had arrived, and the Sun Princess herself - twenty-three sets of eyes all glaring at him with unwavering contempt. And yet, around them, the sounds of galloping echoed. Nearby guards had heard the magical blasts and were coming to investigate. Alucard was supremely confident in his ability, but he wasn't stupid. Even he couldn't stand under the might of the Equestrian Royal Military. Not as he was.

So he took to the air as well, leaping toward his target with a cry of anger. He commanded one of his three spheres forward, and it sped toward Celestia. She dipped, twisted, and flew further along the hallways, leading Alucard and his magic in a chase.

The two alicorns flew faster than most ponies thought possible, navigating the corners with expert accuracy. They were blurs in the palace, streaks of white and black. Yet the sun regent did not navigate too far - she kept her course within the area of the throne room.

Alucard was starting to feel better. The mere fact that Celestia was fleeing meant that she was scared of his spell, and of what it would no doubt do to her. His magic was inching closer, and he felt a surge of victory overcome him. Nopony could best his spell.

Celestia rounded the corner to the throne room entrance one more time, and that's when she made her move. With a twist of her wings, she dipped to one side, where she then flared her wings in order to stop her movement. The magic sped past her, mere inches from her cheek. Finally, baring her teeth, she spun mid-air, bringing one of her hind legs around in a tight arc. When her hoof came around, Alucard was directly in its path.

She kicked him with the force of a cannon, earning a satisfying _smack_ from his forehead. Using her momentum, she brought her second leg around to follow up, and hit him again even harder than before. The strength was enough to push him violently into the doors, which rocked in their hinges but did not open. He opened his eyes in time to see a growing radiance speeding toward him, and then he felt an incredible burning all around him as Celestia finally struck him with her magic.

The force of her attack pinned him against the doors. She fed a powerful surge into her beam, which slammed against Alucard with the force of a train. The force moved through him to the doors, where they burst open into the throne room beyond. They crashed against the walls with a resounding _boom_, and the echoes alerted everyone in the palace that something was wrong.

Alucard's siphon spell was indeed powerful, but it was useless against a pony who fought physically.

Deceit.

Alucard knew he was shouting in pain, but he was so stunned by the turn of events that he barely had time to process what was happening. It wasn't until he slammed on the hard tile of the throne room that he realized he was being outmatched. His target, his prey, Celestia - she was proving to be a capable defender and a brilliant mind, and he harbored no illusions that she was a ruler who had earned Equestria.

He hit the ground very hard, forcing his siphon magic to break - his two remaining spheres dissolved into the air. He rolled along the floor, finally coming to a stop lying on his side. There was a deep burning in his head from Celestia's kick, and he had no doubt that he would be sore in the morning.

With a shake of his head, Alucard managed to open his eyes. Before him, Celestia was slowly walking up, her wings outstretched and her horn alight. He saw her eyes flash and her magic flare, and a corner of his mind registered a sense of familiarity. And a moment later, he saw why.

Rippling lines of white magic flew to him and struck him along his wings, legs, and neck. Upon contact, each set of lines transformed into magical ropes, which wrapped around him and tied themselves off on the floor. It was the same spell he had used to trap Celestia a few short minutes ago, albeit with a gentler appearance. Assuming, of course, a rope tied about his neck was a gentle image.

He uttered a strangled gasp of surprise. He didn't struggle, already seeing that the ropes were pulled taut. In that instant, he knew why he had felt the sense of familiarity. Alucard moved his gaze from the ropes that held him down to the one who had cast them.

"I created that spell myself."

Celestia said nothing, merely staring down on him like he were plagued.

The dark alicorn's horn flashed once, and he probed her mind in a heartbeat. His eyes widened with what he saw, but after a moment, a smile grew on his lips. "Ahh," he began, understanding settling over him. "How long have you known?"

Celestia's response was pulling four of the ropes tighter, bringing his four legs closer together. The rope around his neck remained tense, but did not tighten.

"Even you want to tell me, don't deny it. How long have you known how to st-"

The rope about his neck tightened, just enough to cut off his words. He glared at her, more angry than scared.

Alucard knew that Celestia did not intend to kill him. Such acts were below her and her kingdom. The real reason she had pulled on the rope was to keep the others in the throne room from hearing. To keep her personal guard, the two who had come from earlier, all the new arrivals from the hallway patrols, and the several dozen who occupied the throne room itself - from hearing.

The dark stallion grinned sadistically through his predicament. "So the mighty Celestia keeps skeletons in her closet."

"Hardly," she whispered, closing the distance between them. "I just needed to look where Luna would not."

"But you could not have just learned this recently! Especially not with how busy you've been, dealing with everything I've brought." He jerked forward, his neck bulging against the hold of the rope. The red eyes were wild, giving him a demented look. "You've known for years. Centuries. You've kept this secret from everyone you trust."

"They didn't need to know. They still don't."

"You don't deserve their trust, then!" He shouted, earning a tightening of the ropes. His words cut off with a strangled noise, but he continued. "What will they do when they find out? What will you do? When your world topples at the foundations of your secrets, what will you do?"

"Silence," she commanded, yanking each of the ropes to completely bind Alucard to the floor. His head was pulled flat, his wings outward, and his legs extended - to all the world, his defeat was displayed. "You would dare question me and my actions? You don't even know what my reasons were. All I've done, I've done for my country."

Alucard kept one eye open, the red piercing and defiant. "Is that what you told yourself when you banished your sister and denied her a thousand years of her life?"

Celestia glared down on him, unhindered memories flashing behind her eyes. "Yes."

For a tense moment, neither alicorn spoke. Celestia's guards slowly surrounded them, all eyeing the captured criminal warily. Some unicorns powered up their arresting spells, coordinating their magic to make a powerful cast. But they hesitated - having seen the battle between the two, they all knew what Alucard was capable of, and each of them wanted to keep their princess nearby as protection.

Everypony had their focus fixed on Alucard. And Alucard knew it. He couldn't possibly move without inciting a reaction from the dozens of trained guards around him, not to mention the alicorn he had named enemy. All eyes were on him, and he knew it.

'_Perfect.'_

"Alucard, you have committed crimes against the crown of Equestria, most notably the assault of both Royal Sisters," Celestia called, loud enough for everypony in the throne room to hear. "For the protection of my people, you will have your magic blocked and your wings held down, and you will be imprisoned until such time as we can arrange a proper trial for other crimes you may have committed."

Alucard rolled his eyes, clearly not impressed. He grinned. "Trial? Hmph. You already think I'm guilty, so why bother?"

"Because I'm not like you," the white alicorn replied. "I don't enact judgement without knowing the motive. I intend on learning why you've done all this, as well as what else you may have done."

"You want to...know my reasons?" He gave a dry chuckle, an unpleasant sound by all accounts. With a struggle, he pulled his head off the cold floor - every guard in the room visibly tensed. "Let me ask you something, then."

"You're in no position to be making requests."

"Oh, it's not a request - although I suppose I could ask you all to disappear. But I doubt you'll be too keen on that."

Celestia's eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right - she had Alucard beaten, trapped and surrounded, and he spoke as though victory were his. There was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes shone with hidden thoughts. Why would he be so jubilant with his own capture?

'_Unless...did he plan this?'_

Alucard's smile widened. He knew. "Princess, tell me...where does a pony's honor lay?"

And in an instant, Celestia realized what she had overlooked. She had captured Alucard, and her guard surrounded him. Everypony's focus was revolving around the stallion. His earlier spell had broken, forcing the two spheres he had conjured to fade into the nether. But what about the first sphere, the one had had launched during their flight?

As Alucard's question left his lips, Celestia felt two things, one after the other. The first was a heavy sense of dread, and the second was a physical blow to the back of her head, strong enough to make her take a step forward. She cried out, more in shock than pain, and then a third feeling skewered her. A feeling of intense heat at the top of her spine, crawling around her neck and up her head, like a line of spiders made of fire. The heat continued until it reached the base of her horn, and there the heat intensified to incredible levels. She might as well have set her forehead on fire.

Pain started, but she had one last fleeting thought before it arrived in earnest. She realized that Alucard _had_, in fact, planned this. Even planned his own defeat during their battle. He wanted her to think that she held the victory, and had wanted as many ponies as possible to focus on him. Him alone, and not what he had left behind.

Diversion. Distraction. Deceit.

Celestia had been played for a fool.

The pain began, and it shot through every thought Celestia had. The final sphere, which she had dodged earlier, had struck her from behind and was now completely covering her horn. Vibrating lines shot out from the spell and dug into her forehead, each one like a million needles being twisted in her skin. The dark magic had severed her connection to the ropes, which all faded away from her prisoner.

Alucard spent one moment to smirk and enjoy the sight of Celestia struggling, then he rolled to his hooves. As he rose, he poured his magic into the air, releasing an explosion of power. The nearby guards, who were staring transfixed at their princess' plight, were blown back by the force of his magic. Many flew backward into others, effectively dismantling their ring around the dark alicorn. He released a second magic blast for good measure.

He turned and drank in the sight. Celestia was fighting the spell, but it was clearly a struggle - one eye was clenched shut and her mouth was twisted into some malformed opening. She grunted as the pain hit her again and again, but to her merit she did not scream as her sister had.

The sun regent was furious. She decided to forego any attempts to dislodge the magic, instead focusing on Alucard. She swiped her hooves and stabbed with her horn, trying to bring him to his knees, but only succeeded in making a spectacle of herself. Alucard dodged each of her attacks, back-stepping and weaving side to side as each swing was swung.

After a few seconds which may as well have been hours, Alucard leapt into the air and called back his spell. The darkness surrounding Celestia's horn withdrew, formed a sphere again, and floated lazily back to its master. When it reached his horn, it rippled and dissolved, the power contained within becoming absorbed by the alicorn of darkness.

Each piece of knowledge and every hidden secret found a place within him, and as soon as he registered something, he _knew_ it as though he had experienced it himself. Spells, lies, memories, plans - he knew everything the sphere could hold, which was doubtless only a fraction of what Celestia's mind could offer. Every bit of information found a place in his mind, and his eyes flashed with sadistic euphoria. But there was one specific knowledge he sought, the purpose he had given to his spell.

For a moment which went unseen, Alucard's smile faltered, only to be replaced with one more knowing. He had found what he was looking for. _'So that's it...that's how it's done.'_

Celestia, now free from the incredible burning, shook her head to regain her thoughts. Her eyes shot toward the alicorn she was now growing to despise. Without waiting for him to prepare, she gathered every bit of magic she could muster, which thankfully was a plentiful reserve despite Alucard's spell. Her horn glowed brighter than ever, spreading a hot radiance around the entire throne room. Everypony nearby could feel their coats tingle and their manes stand on-end as the ambient energy in the air spiked to new levels. A very distinct escape response was felt by the guards who still stood, but their duty held their hooves firmly to the ground.

Then, in an instant, every thread of energy was drawn into Celestia's horn. A magnificent beam of sunlight launched from the forefront of her mind, aimed directly at Alucard's heart. As the magic was given purpose, Celestia was forced to brace herself, spreading her wings and widening her stance to keep herself from falling. The flash of the attack temporarily blinded any foolish enough to look at it. The beam, wide as a chariot and hot as the sun, crossed the distance to Alucard in under a heartbeat.

Through some grace of instinct, Alucard called on his ill-gotten shield magic once more, pouring more power into it than he had previously dared. He curled his wing in front of him, wrapping his spell around it as before. No sooner had his spell completed did the attack against him connect. Sun-white power collided against night-blue magic, and jolts of both colors flew as though an electrical cord had been severed. Sparks and fragments of both spells broke off and struck nearby walls and the floor, scorching the decorations on either.

Giving in to her mounting fury, Celestia pumped an additional surge of magic into her attack, and the resulting power doubled the size of her beam. The force of her attack pushed Alucard back, pinned him against the ceiling, and then out the other side as her spell burned a hole in the throne room roof. He was carried into the air nearly a mile before he was able to break off.

He pushed with his shield-enhanced wing, rolling to the side of Celestia's magical beam. When he was out of the way, the attack sped forth unhindered. The air resounded with the roar of the magic, and temporal winds swept his mane as he fell parallel to it. Her magic flew an unmeasured distance before finally fading into the sunlit sky. Alucard let himself fall for a few meters before recovering, flapping his wings for control. The force of the attack had not broken through his shield, and the worse he had suffered were burned retinas, which were quickly recovering.

Alucard blinked the field of white from his eyes, speeding up the recovery of his vision. He gazed down on Canterlot, taking in all its splendor and fame, and how everything had stopped to gaze toward the palace. Clearly, the cacophony of Celestia's spell had gained the full attention of Canterlot's ponies, and now their gazes were trained on him. He looked around, spotting the various shops, houses, cafés, and every resident who looked skyward.

Back in the throne room, Celestia stared at him with eyes filled with contempt. Earlier, she had been able to overcome his shield spell with a fraction of the power she had just used. Alucard had been stringing her along back in the hallways, but this resolve she had just seen was his true power. He was still playing with her, insulting her with his every move.

Celestia decided, then and there, that she truly didn't care what Alucard's reasons were. She would see him banished before she heard his motive. With her new thought in mind, she took to the air, speeding out the hole in her roof with ease.

The flash of the sun off her mane brought Alucard's attention to her. He stared down, almost amused, as she raced toward him.

'_Finally,'_ he thought. _'Finally time. Great Princess of the Sun, it's finally time to relinquish your throne.'_

His horn flashed, then began to glow.

Celestia bore down on him with the speed of a train, firing volleys of magical arrows along the way. Her target ducked and weaved, simply moving aside from the arrows' trajectory, then finally dived when Celestia came too close. She chased him through the airspace, sending volley after volley, each time missing by meters. And every meter off-target was another insult to her.

With a screech, she fired off another beam of magic, which Alucard calmly dodged. He flew beneath her now, his back to the city, his red eyes gazing up at her like sharpened steel. She halted her attacks, returning his gaze with her own glare, wanting to take in every detail of his face before she showed him what happened to those who threatened her home. She studied his eyes, his mouth, his horn, his rippling magic-infused mane, the shadows moving across his body...

Celestia blinked. She considered him again, noticing that there were indeed shadows moving across his body - the shadows cast by his horn and wings. Down in the city, she noticed how the shadows cast by the buildings and ponies were moving, as well.

'_But that doesn't make sense,'_ she wondered. _'My sun doesn't move fast enough to make the shadows spread that quickly...'_

Alucard had his mind in her thoughts, and he slowly began to chuckle. Quietly, at first, so that he was barely audible. He wanted it that way, because when the screams of abject horror came from the city, he wanted Celestia to hear every scream. And come they did - cries and shrieks rose from the capital, each one as unique as the criers and shriekers, each one borne of a different pony who was staring, stunned, at the sky. At the sun.

Celestia turned, bringing her eyes to the sky, just like everypony else. And there she saw. She saw.

The sun was moving across the sky.

The color in Celestia's face vanished, reduced to a sickly pallor. _'This cannot be!'_ She focused her magic, reaching out toward the magnificent orb. But as she made to grasp it, she was denied - her magic was pushed away, and she could not manage a solid connection. She reached again, and was met with the same result. Some foreign power was forcing her grip away, denying her inborn gift.

Behind her, the sound of laughter rose to equal that of the cries. Alucard called up to her, his voice absolutely _filled_ with victory.

"Just what did you think I had taken from you, princess?!"

He pumped his wings and rose to her level, flying around her because she had not torn her gaze away from her sun. He chuckled more, obviously enjoying this.

"Arrogant, selfish sun princess. What prize do you hold dearest? What power do you claim your own? What gifts have you held so close to heart, that you did not see them _taken from under your eyes_?" he hissed.

Alucard continued to orbit her, taunting her with his very presence, much like he had done to her sister so recently. "And what of dear Luna? What talent does she hold in highest pride, held so high that she cannot see the ground? What is the one act she truly enjoys, that you have denied her for two nights?"

He stopped his moving, this time putting his back to the horizon. Celestia's eyes turned in his direction, and she immediately saw what was wrong. Behind him, a solid grey mass steadily rose, moving with a purpose given by a thief.

The moon, Luna's moon, was racing toward the sun. Both celestial bodies were moving toward each other.

"What talents and prides have the two of you shared? What gifts have made you two rulers over this shining land? And what will you do, dear _princess_, when you can no longer claim such gifts?"

Something broke inside Celestia, and her eyes - narrow in her sheer disbelief - trained on him. She said nothing, but unlike before, it wasn't because she chose so. This time, she truly was speechless.

But she was not without action. Moving purely on instinct, abandoning all thought, she poured every fragment of magic she still held, weaving them into a narrow point at the tip of her horn. She looked at Alucard, fixing her gaze on his heart for the second time.

His grin didn't falter. He didn't feel fear. In fact, he only smiled wider and spoke clear so she could easily hear him. "You wouldn't kill an innocent, would you?"

The question gave Celestia pause. Which gave Alucard an opportunity.

He kicked Celestia squarely in her jaw, breaking off her magic and causing her to falter in the air. By the time she recovered, Alucard was high above her and rising, and his horn was giving off a flash of power. Immediately between them, arcing toward her at impossible speed, was a bolt of black lightning. It struck her at the base of her horn, sending white-hot flashes of pure agony coursing through her.

Her scream of absolute pain was unique that day, and the sound remained with those who heard it for the rest of their lives. But she didn't die; Alucard had no intention of killing her. The lightning was meant only to cause her pain. As the feeling of fire pulsed in her nerves, Celestia fell through the sky, striking the roof of the throne room and toppling head-over-tail through the hole she had made. Only when she struck the unforgiving floor did her scream end, and even then only due to her breath giving out.

In the air, Alucard was experiencing a high unlike any other - his plan of four aggravating years had gone off perfectly, and now he was about to do something that nopony in Equestria had ever done, because nopony in Equestria was capable of it. He arced his head back, closing his eyes as he savored the euphoria of his victory.

The edges of the sun and moon met, and the latter began to overshadow the former. Alucard was creating an eclipse directly above Equestria. The cries of shock and terror rose up once more, now tinged with an undertone of despair. It was horrifying. It was musical.

A number of Celestia's guards rushed to her side, intent on helping her to stand, but she couldn't rise farther than her haunches. She fought to stay conscious, and fought another battle to keep from vomiting. The attack against her had completely overwhelmed her system, and she was reduced to her sight and nothing more.

Rushes of wind blew past her face, and her eyes flew open to the glimmer of golden armor, the waving of tails, and a few dislodged feathers as four of her pegasi guards too flight. She screamed at them, ordering them to return, but her words were harsh and dry. Unable to fight, fly, or even move, Celestia was forced to remain still and watch as her brave guards attempted to do what she could not.

Flashes of black lightning rent the air. Cries rose up and faded. Four fearless pegasi dropped like stones.

The members of her personal guard were ready to die for her, Celestia knew that. But she wasn't ready for them to die. Her heart wrenched as the white bodies plummeted to Canterlot, to the city they served, to the white and the gold and the stone and the steel. Celestia couldn't hear their bodies strike the ground, but she imagined that the falling of her tears matched with their impacts.

Far above, the moon overtook over half of the sun's radiance, and from the darkness that resulted emerged thick, manifested clouds. They rotated, spreading their bleak coverage over the city. The airspace above the capital became blanketed in the clouds, save for the center of the mass. A large circle remained open, a window to the sky. One that gave a direct view to the sun and moon, and the eclipse they were forming.

Alucard's dark coat began vibrating as his magic continued to expand. As the moon moved farther in front of the sun, strands of the dark clouds spun earthward and wrapped around him. The clouds, originally thin and wispy, quickly took the texture of a wall. Any whites faded to blues and blacks, marred by thin tendrils of white lines, darting back up through the cloud strands and moving through the connected coverage. As the lines overtook the manifested clouds, they too changed color, darkening to bear the impress of Tartarus.

Finally, the last vestige of the sun's golden rays were covered. In the sky, great and terrifying, stood a total eclipse, empowered by magic and enslaved by one alicorn. The light of the sun became a golden halo, which surrounded the perfect blackness of the moon.

The world went dark. More screams of horror rose up in the mounting panic. Celestia looked up at the sky, unable to believe what she was seeing.

With a sudden cry and a wide burst of magic, Alucard burst out from the clouds surrounding him. He sped toward the palace, barely seen against the dark clouds and stolen day. He resembled a black-and-blue streak, fired from some unseen cannon, moving dead-on toward the hole in the throne room roof.

Celestia flinched as he struck the ground with all four hooves, and shivered as ripples of magical essences caressed her coat. When nothing happened, she slowly brought her eyes up, looking upon the alicorn who now earned her fear. The sight was stunning.

Alucard's body had changed again, due to the empowering magic of his eclipse. His wings had shifted from feathers to membranes, like a bat's wings, though his were far stronger and a good deal more terrifying. He stood just above Celestia's height, and his coat seemed to be electrified with the white lines of his telepathy. Both his mane and tail had remained the same.

But the worst, the absolute worst, were his eyes. Alucard's eyes were _gone_, buried beneath the magic. Instead of the sharp red that had burned into Luna's memory, his eyes were now blank and white, like Rainbow's had been when she was found. But there was no sadness in these eyes, no regret or despair. In these eyes, only evil existed.

He looked down on Celestia with those eyes, clearly not impressed. The princess before him was lying still, staring back with solid defiance. She wasn't trembling, crying, or begging for mercy - somehow, she wasn't yet broken.

"Why?" she rasped. Her voice was barely loud enough to be heard. "Why are you doing this?"

He grinned, and spoke loud enough for only her to hear. "_Now_ you ask the question that plagues your mind. Celestia, did you forget that we're beyond words?"

Alucard walked past her. As he moved, the remaining guards backed away. None of them tried to stop him, fearful of what consequences awaited those who would hinder or halt. He crossed the throne room to the raised platform, finally reaching the high-backed throne itself. He considered it for a moment, forming a hidden plan.

"Hear me, ponies of Canterlot," he whispered. His horn alighted with stolen telekinesis, and an electric black aura enveloped the throne. It rose an inch off the platform, held in Alucard's mindful grasp. He took to the air, carrying the heavy throne behind him as though it were a delicate flower.

"Hear me, ponies of Canterlot!" he repeated, loud enough for the entire throne room to echo the words. He rose and exited through the hole that led to the sky, to his darkened sky. As soon as he cleared the opening, he twisted and flew to the top of the throne room roof, the center point of the palace and directly above the capital city's main square. The main square which now, thanks to the disasters occurring, was completely packed with onlookers, both of Canterlot status and Ponyville pride.

"Hear me!" he bellowed. He walked to the edge of the roof, carrying the golden throne at his side. He looked down on the city with his blank eyes, barely containing his victorious smile. Thunder rolled overhead, and his voice was just as loud.

Ponies in the city gathered, ponies of all rank and status. From the laborers to the politicians, the thinkers to the soldiers, the lowliest refugee to the highest noble...all eyes were on the alicorn. They crowded and jammed the town square, craning their necks and straining their ears.

All the world had stopped for Alucard.

"All of you...look upon your city," he commanded. His voice left rolling undertones, like thunder that was better felt than heard. "Look upon your glory and your pride. Paint a perfect image and cherish it. Create a perfect memory and protect it. Think back to this day...and regret it. For today, all of you ponies, beggars and nobles alike, will be given a new kind of day.

"You will be given _my day!_ The day I create will be yours to fear, yours to hate, yours to regret! Your lives are what _I_ decide of them...and frankly, I am not impressed. Both by you, and those you call your masters."

He lifted the throne high above his head, where every pair of eyes could easily see it. "Your precious Princesses Celestia and Luna, who swore to protect you, have failed their vows. They both fell to my superior might, and now they are like you...no, _lower_ than you!"

From his perch on the roof, he was able to see the sloping system of rooftops that formed the palace. If something were to fall at just the right area, it would land in the square, and from a considerable height. It was perfect. He brought the throne back, preparing for a throw.

"Your princesses have _failed!_"

The throne was launched, the dark aura of his magic disappearing without a trace. It sailed through the air and struck the sloping roofs hard, knocking off shingles and rafters and centuries of weathering. The regal chair rolled and leapt, striking the slopes at angles that would be impossible for any pony.

Finally, amid the loud crashes and flying debris, the damaged throne bumped off the final roof and was airborne once more, arcing for the town square. Panicked ponies jumped out of the way, moving uncomfortably close to strangers and friends, desperate to make room for the heavy throne.

To their fortune (if fortune were present), the throne struck the unforgiving ground with nary a pony in the way. And when the throne met the ground, the ground won. With a resounding crash that was as unique as Celestia's scream, the throne shattered, sending pieces flying wherever they chose. Several ponies suffered cuts, but they went unnoticed beneath the abject shock of what was happening.

The thunder of Alucard's voice rolled once more, this time accompanied by flashing in the clouds. Lightning was hidden in the masses, and it was becoming restless. "My storm has arrived, and you can not be protected from it. Equestria is mine, and your lives with it. So I put it to you, mares and fillies, guards and peasants, rulers and beggars..."

He kicked off, flapping his demonic wings and staring with his empty eyes. All he saw in the eyes of the ponies was fear. All the ponies saw in his was evil.

"All of you, make your wishes...and they shall be _mine_ to command."

He flew skyward, leaving the city to react to his chaos. The higher he flew, the more frequent the flashing in the clouds became. Thunder seemed unending, and the first bolt of black lightning fired as he reached the single eye in his storm. His body was completely hidden against the darkness of the eclipse.

The world shook. A storm raged.

Celestia was unable to see the development on the roof and in the square, but the words were clear enough that she might as well have been standing next to the speaker. She wanted to rest. She wanted so badly to rest and think and wonder what she had done wrong. Wonder what she had done to bring such evil to her land, to her subjects. She wanted so much to have peace and quiet and her sun.

She wanted so much. But the ponies she cared for _needed_ so much more. So she was forced to act.

Before Alucard had finished his shouting, she was acting. In the throne room, a majority of the royal guard were called in, many of whom were unnerved by the sight of their princess. However, their duty called, and in such an emergency, they were ready to do whatever was asked of them. The four pegasi who had died today were friends to these mares and stallions, after all.

Celestia had yet to stand, but she fired off orders left and right.

"I need two groups of fliers to stand by and await orders. The entire unicorn guard is to put up a barrier around the palace. Do _not_ let a single bolt of that magic get through. We've seen what it can do to ponies, and I don't doubt that the destruction to property will be just as bad.

"We cannot spare enough magic to cover the city. Earth ponies, run into the city and bring everyone in. Yes, _everyone_ - I want the city empty. Everypony needs to take shelter in the palace, and we need to keep them protected. Don't think for a moment that we won't be able to hold them all. No place in the castle is off-limits, understood? Use my own quarters if you have to; just get everypony inside.

"Pegasi, you're my fastest. I need ten of you to get to the Ponyville refugees and tell them the truth. Ask for volunteers, anyone who has magic, to help with the barrier. Anypony who refuses needs to be kept safe. Any volunteers will need to be brought to a unicorn and paired up with them. The rest of you, help the earth ponies herd in the Canterlot ponies."

The guards didn't bother with saluting, instead choosing to run off to their assigned tasks. Guard captains worked alongside new recruits, knowing that rank-and-file was suspended for the time. The throne room, which had been nearly full, was now nearly empty after a tense thirty seconds.

Celestia looked up, relieved to see a magical barrier forming around the palace. Blasts of thunder sounded, and she saw the barrier glow white-hot as Alucard's lethal lightning struck it. The barrier would hold, but not against an onslaught. She needed more. Much more.

She turned her gaze to the two groups of pegasi she had divided earlier. "I have two very vital tasks for you. Each of you will form teams and take empty chariots to Ponyville. Most of the unicorn guard is still stationed there, and we need them back here. Go to the chariots and fly, except you four," she commanded, pointing to a team near the end.

The unicorn guard would give her the magic she needed to keep her little ponies safe. What she didn't know was for how long. It would not be enough to stay on the defense. She was at war with this monster named Alucard, and the only wars she had won were those won with attacks.

"There were two vital tasks to be done, and you four will do the second. Take my personal chariot and fly to Ponyville. Bring me Twilight Sparkle and her friends. We need the Elements."

The pegasi, understanding that failure meant the loss of their city, ran faster than they previously dared. Soon Celestia was alone in the throne room, but that didn't last as the doctor she had tasked to Luna's recovery came in and tended to her own wounds. As he worked, she gazed into the sky, looking up at the great and terrifying eclipse above her.

It was like an eye, staring at her. An eye that saw everything.

**End chapter thirteen**

Author's comments: The start of something much bigger than anypony has foreseen. This is a chapter that I both enjoy and hate, because it is only the start. The detail and misdirection were both _very_ fun to write, as well as the despair that Celestia felt as she was struck with reality - not to mention Alucard's lightning. Nothing quite like falling to earth when you're on top of the world.

Co-author's comments: Even the mighty Celestia fell to Alucard's cunning personality. Everything is now hopeless. He is in control of the day AND night, and at once for that matter. The eclipse idea was originally mine, but it had nothing to do with this story. I created an Alicorn character named Eclipsys. Aaron had the idea to have Alucard make an eclipse to block Celestia and Luna's power based on my character's ability. I happily agreed, and this is that chappy.

Next chapter: A storm above the greatest city, bringing with it promises of tyranny and destruction. The sole remaining hope of Celestia now lies in the friendship of six little ponies. Yet still, Celestia has turned an ignorant eye to the real solution, and Rainbow Dash is not ready to face the real problem. How can her friends forgive her when she doesn't forgive herself?


	14. The Eclipse

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>The shelter from the storm by a pair of brony minds!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Still don't own. Still no money. Still no jelly donuts. Enjoy and support the works of Faust, Theisson, and the Hub!

Hurry, hurry, get in! You need to stay inside, away from the storm that Alucard has brought to Equestria! He has enough power to stand against Celestia, but he's hiding above dark storm clouds. He even drew a total eclipse in the sky, and his magic is ravaging Canterlot.

Good thing Celestia sent for Twilight and her friends, then. She still has an ace up her sleeve in the Elements of Harmony, and with any luck, they'll prove to be enough to take the monster off his perch. But first, we'll need to find out if they'll work...it's been years since they were last needed. Let's join in!

ACT III - _The Prestige_  
><span><strong>Chapter fourteen:<strong> The Eclipse

Canterlot. Once the grandest, most powerful city in the Equestria region. The home to the divine princesses Celestia and Luna, both of whom had fallen to the whimsy of an alicorn they had underestimated. The beacon of disaster and the fallen sentinel of many other cities and villages in the surrounding countryside. The blackened target built by pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies alike. And now, in the wake of the fleeing summer, the city was ground zero of a magical onslaught unlike any seen before.

Six bodies were rushing through the palace. Their escorts had fallen into ranks long ago, and they were forced to navigate the tall and royal hallways on their own. They didn't have trouble doing so, because the pony leading the herd was all too familiar with the layout of the palace, having visited the grand building hundreds of times during her fillyhood. Even then, the sights of fresh battle and the scorch marks of attack magic made her stomach churn. Evil had come to Equestria, and only she and her friends had a chance of stopping it. They were the Bearers of Harmony, the brave heroines who had saved Equestria several times already, and the sole remaining hope of the Sun Princess.

It was early in the afternoon.

The city was under a vicious siege. Blasts of black lightning tore across the streets and over the buildings, stripping them of their bricks and planks. The image was nightmarish - where once a golden example of the combined prowess of earth pony, pegasi, and unicorn, now the city suffered a pox caused by the magical storm. The palace fared better only through the defenses of the barrier, though the lightning still shook the palace to its very core. Scores of decorations and furnishings had already fallen by the rocking, or else simply overturned during a mass sheltering of Canterlot, which was still underway.

Through the tall windows of the halls, Twilight Sparkle could easily see the magical barrier, the flashes it gave off as lightning struck it, and the imposing clouds beyond. On their way into Canterlot, she had also seen the maleficent eclipse, a great black orb in the sky where the sun should have been. The eclipse dominated the eye of the storm, making it seem all the more like an actual eye that never blinked.

With no possible doubt, Twilight knew that her mentor needed her help. So she galloped through the darkened hallways, her five friends in close tow. As a unit, they rounded the doorway to the throne room, finally spotting the hunched form of Princess Celestia. The sight was enough to slow their approach, though they did not stop.

"Princess!" Twilight called. She trotted up, mentally flitting through the dozens of burning questions, trying to decide which one burned hottest.

"Twilight?" sounded a voice that was distinctly _not_ Celestia's. From around the alicorn's regal body, a tiny purple head poked out.

The lavender unicorn's eyes widened with a relief she hadn't been expecting. "_Spike!_"

The dragonling rushed out and tackled his friend and caretaker around her neck, and she returned the embrace with abandon. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the purple dragon, but as she held him close, she felt like it had been ages since they last met. The world had gone to a dark and unfamiliar place in the last week, and the sight of a friendly face was a welcome one.

The other five friends slowed to a halt and looked on, along with Celestia, who had turned her head at the sound. None of them spoke, despite the dire need.

"I was so worried!" Spike said as the hug was broken. "When I heard what had happened to Princess Luna, I kept on thinking something bad had happened to all of you too! I can't begin to tell you how good it is to see you again!"

He turned to look at the group, finally spotting the frail, colorful form of Rainbow Dash. She looked distracted, her gaze riveted on the eclipse seen through the hole in the throne room roof. Each time a blast of lightning shook the palace, she visibly flinched as though stung.

"You found her," he breathed. He did, of course, notice how thin and weak she looked, but Spike was simply happy enough to see his daredevil friend that he looked past her malnourished form and settled on the fact. He smiled - the gang was all here.

Rarity stepped forward, an idea sparking. "Spike? I was wondering if you could do a favor for me."

"A fa- what? Now? This isn't really the time, is it?"

"Sorry, but I need this. Do you know where Sweetie Belle is?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, she volunteered." Behind him, Celestia grimaced. The princess hadn't meant for that fact to be revealed.

Rarity cocked her head. "Volunteered?" she asked. "Whatever for?"

With a single claw, Spike pointed toward the hole in the throne room ceiling, and then to the fuchsia barrier beyond. "Celestia called for helpers, any unicorn who was willing. Sweetie Belle volunteered, and she's adding strength to the shield. She's working with some unicorns near the Great Hall."

"My sister is _involved_ in this?" she yelped, casting her glance toward the princess.

"It was her choice!" Spike cried, lifting his hands to make his point. "Princess Celestia called for any aid she could get, because the rest of her unicorns were protecting all of you in Ponyville! There weren't many volunteers to begin with, and Sweetie Belle is helping to save lives! Apple Bloom is, too - she's helping ponies into the palace so they can take shelter. I've even seen her run outside and bring a few stragglers back with her."

Applejack took a step forward, and Rarity met her gaze. Instead of feeling protection for her sister, the farm mare felt a great surge of pride. She gave a grim smile. "Is that so? Heh, that's so like Apple Bloom...Ah'd expect nothin' less from her."

The confidence in her friend's voice seemed to calm Rarity, and she nodded after a moment. The unicorn turned back to Spike, feeling a little more at-ease. "Right, you're right...I'm sorry. Can you find her and let her know we're here? I'm sure she must have been worried right beside you."

"You have no idea," the dragon exhaled. "After I told them what happened to Princess Luna, she spent an hour just looking at her scarf. She'll be delighted to hear you're safe."

"Spike!" sounded Twilight's shrill voice. Clearly, she hadn't expected such news. "You told the girls what happened to Princess Luna?"

"We're not kids anymore, Twilight. This is no time to be hiding the truth. Right?"

"Well...yeah, you're right."

Spike nodded and looked at each of his friends one more time, then stepped toward Rainbow Dash. The weak pegasus had still not looked at him, instead training all of her focus on the nightmarish eclipse in the sky. After waiting a heartbeat, Spike wrapped his arms around Rainbow's neck and pulled her down into a gentle but firm hug.

Her eyes widened - she hadn't even noticed the events going on around her. She turned her head and spotted the scales of the dragonling, unsure of what to do. Spike, however, wasn't looking for a reaction. He merely embraced his friend, happy to just see her again.

"Welcome back," he told her.

Words failed the frail pony, and she didn't reply. Spike broke the hug and stepped away, jogging for the doors and the corridors beyond. As he reached the threshold, however, he turned back and looked at Twilight with a hard gaze, one that reminded everypony that he was of dragon blood.

"Twilight!" he called. "Kick this monster out of our town!"

The librarian looked at him with a gaze that matched his own, her eyes glinting just like his, steel reflecting steel. He nodded, turned, and departed, the soft _pats_ of his retreating footsteps unheard beneath the rumbling of unending thunder.

Nopony spoke for a moment, waiting for some other pony to make a move. The sharp cracks of lightning rent the silence around them. Before long, Twilight Sparkle turned back around and looked on her teacher properly. She noticed how defeated Celestia appeared - her back stooped forward, her wings limply folded, her magical mane unmoving. Celestia seemed old, far older than Twilight could remember her appearing. It struck her hard, realizing how even the most ageless of things can still be worn and weathered.

"Princess Celestia," she muttered. "What happened here?"

The princess looked at her pupil, suddenly reminded of the way they had met seven days prior. Twilight had been the defeated one, beaten by the magical orb, looking devastated. Now their roles were switched - Celestia desperately wanted to rest, while Twilight seemed ready for action.

However, a solid thought remained rooted in Celestia's mind: the fact that she was the Princess of Equestria. She was the only one who could lead her people in this time of need, and she wouldn't let anything stand in her way. So her course was clear, or so she thought.

She took a breath and began. "That stallion, Alucard, is here. He's responsible for the storm and the eclipse."

The word seemed to chill the air, because Rainbow Dash couldn't suppress a shudder. Twilight didn't notice, however, and pressed on. "Alucard made that eclipse? But...how could...I thought you and Princess Luna-"

"Alucard stole our magic and our understanding of it. He was after our sun- and moon-moving magic from the beginning," Celestia explained. "That's why he said Luna was the goal he sought from attacking Ponyville...and I was his target today."

"Goodness," Rarity breathed. "Are you...?"

"I'm fine." Celestia was a terrible liar. "The reason I've called you all here is so you can wield the Elements of Harmony against him and bring him back down to earth."

"Back down to earth?" sounded Fluttershy, meek as always. "What do you mean?"

A hefty sigh coursed through the princess. "Alucard's taken refuge above the cloud layer, and his magic has proven too much for my guard. He's killed some of my pegasi already."

The color drained from the faces of everypony. "Killed?" Applejack muttered. "Ponies have died?"

Celestia gave a blunt nod, eager to expedite things. She reached behind her, pulling forward an ornate chest, not once using her magic to manipulate it. Not by choice, however - the blast of magic against the base of her horn had rendered her magic inaccessible for a day at least, much like how a strike to the throat would disrupt breathing.

The chest that Celestia pulled forward was one that the group of friends hadn't seen in a long time. Not to say they didn't recognize it - they knew exactly what it was, but in the years since they had seen it last, the memory of it had faded. The chest was a deep blue with gold borders, inlaid with images of gems along the faces. It was the container for the Elements of Harmony, the magical artifacts that Twilight and her friends (and Celestia before them) had wielded. Celestia pulled the lid of the chest back, revealing the lustrous contents to the group before her. Five fantastic necklaces and a single golden tiara winked at them, giving a sense of tranquility in a time that was most certainly not tranquil.

The friends spent a moment of silence as they gazed upon the legendary items. Rather, five of the six friends gazed upon them, which soon turned to four as Applejack looked over toward Rainbow Dash, who had once again fixed her eyes outside. The farm mare trotted over to the former exile, turning her eyes outside to see what her her friend was seeing.

Outside the palace, the city was being ravaged. Since the palace unicorns were unable to spread their protection across the city, the residents were forced to herd into the palace itself. As such, Alucard was using the opportunity to strike the city buildings with his magical lightning. It was already proven that his magic could blow apart walls in a shop - at full power, the destruction was magnified. Entire buildings were pockmarked, and some of the smaller ones were already showing their stone-and-timber skeletons.

The only viable shelter was the palace. Near the entrance to the regal building, a set of earth pony guards were rushing ponies inside. Many of them shouted and constantly flicked their heads upward to see where the edge of the magical barrier ended. One guard, however, had rushed outside to help a mother and her daughter get to safety. They were a few dozen yards away, and were galloping hard.

For a reason Rainbow couldn't explain, she was transfixed on this group as they ran. The guard in the front, urging them forward, with the mother who was getting into her later years following closely behind. Her daughter brought up the rear, and she was clearly scared. She couldn't have been too much older than Apple Bloom.

And what happened then made the mare's age so much more apparent. The sky roared, and a thick bolt of magical lightning struck the ground in the blink of an eye. The young daughter was caught right in the center of the bolt. She had time enough to look skyward, time enough to see what was reaching for her, time enough to realize that the breath she was holding would be her last.

Alucard's black lightning was strong enough to lift the poor mare's body upward as the lethal magic coursed through her. Her scream of surprise went unheard, completely smothered by the _crack_ of lightning. She tried to struggle, but only for a moment before a surge of power swept over her, and she became still. The entire attack lasted only a few short seconds.

She hit the ground with her eyes still open. The flash faded and the crack of thunder quieted, but in its place sounded a shriek of pure agony, one rent from the mother's very soul. She immediately turned back, while the guard tried to hold her and pull her toward the safety of the palace. But the mother would not be stayed - she fought and struggled while calling out to her daughter, until finally the guard was forced to let go.

It didn't take long for the elder mare to close the distance, all the while marring the stones underhoof with her crying. She reached her daughter, cradled her head, and begged to whatever powers she placed her faith to take back this action, this crime. She cried and screamed and beseeched the heavens, until the sky flashed once more, and the heavens answered her.

The elder pony was lifted into the air a few feet by the power of the lightning that struck her, and she hit the ground with her head next to the face of her kin. Thus mother and daughter were reunited.

The guard, meanwhile, took a few steps back in utter horror - the first shred of emotion he had shown in hours. He looked skyward when the clouds rumbled once more, then turned and sought the shelter of the palace on his own. Rainbow got a good look at his face, noticing easily the pain etched into his lines. She had worn a look like that when she had fled.

The cyan pegasus felt a hoof on her shoulder, and heard Applejack speaking. "C'mon, you don't need to see this."

Rainbow Dash only shook. The mother had died with her eyes open, too.

Applejack gently led Rainbow toward the rest of their friends, who were already putting on their respective Elements. Twilight nudged her tiara into place, casting a glance toward the frail pegasus. She grimaced, unable to quell her feelings that maybe, this time, she and her friends were outdone. After all, when she put together everything that had happened, and gotten over how little sense some of it made, what strength did they have left?

Twilight was not the only one to hold this notion, but the rest of her friends seemed to be more adept at hiding it. She decided that perhaps that was for the best. No matter what they thought of the situation or of each other, their country was in danger, and it fell to them to defend it. So she magically lifted the Element of Loyalty (_'It looks darker than I remember,'_ she thought) and wrapped it around Rainbow's neck, covering the mark where the bound magic had burned her.

Two more blasts of lightning assaulted the barrier, making it glow white-hot and causing the sounds of cannon-blasts throughout the palace. Celestia looked at the six ponies, placing all of her hope in them. She didn't say anything, but they all knew she wanted to say "Please."

The Bearer of Magic, Twilight Sparkle, turned and faced her friends. Some of them looked determined, eager to end this nightmare here and now. Rainbow, however, looked distracted and beaten before the battle had even begun. But the lavender unicorn pushed her worries aside, instead focusing on the task she was charged to carry out.

"Let's do this," she said, tapping into her magic. The ethereal flow of power seemed to awaken her tiara, and the Element began to emit a soft glow. At the same time, the five Elements also began to alight, each one providing a soft hum of energy.

The hum, however, sounded muffled, and the light was dim. As Twilight tried to harness the augmenting energy of the Element of Magic, she found that it wouldn't respond. It was like trying to grip a bar of soap - her conscious mind was sliding off the artifact's power, and the more she grasped, the less she held.

Her eyes opened to see the light of the Elements fade away, and she suddenly felt a little colder. Her friends noticed the feeling as well, and their eyes opened to the scene with just as much confusion. The Elements of Harmony, meant to provide the team with unmatched unity and power, were not working. Suddenly, the feeling of tranquility they had given was gone, leaving only a void.

"Uh-oh, is it too late to get replacements?" Pinkie Pie quipped, trying to lighten the mood in her own unique way. She gently rubbed the balloon gem on her necklace, as if the friction would somehow cause a spark.

Twilight was at a loss for words. She lifted her tiara from her head and examined it, twisting and turning the artifact in hopes of finding some physical flaw. She knew the search was doomed, however, but was hoping for some excuse all the same.

After a few short seconds, she felt Celestia at her side, also looking down upon the Element of Magic. "What's wrong?" the alicorn asked. "Why did they not react?"

"They reacted..." Twilight began, trying to remember how she had felt colder after the Elements had faded. "They just didn't...go."

Celestia blinked. "They didn't 'go.'"

"Yeah, uh..."

The princess' taut patience was stretched even tighter. She reminded herself that her anger was not with her student, but with the monster in the clouds. "Twilight," she murmured, "my city is under attack. Every moment that we spend here is another blast of magic against my subjects. That is the gravity of our situation, so please focus. I need you to wield the Elements, and I need them wielded _now_."

The lavender librarian gave a nod, easily noticing how Celestia's fury was underlying her tone. "Okay, okay," she said to the group before her. "Let's just think for a moment. When was the last time we had to use these?"

Rarity looked up. "Back when that ruffian Discord was running amok, I do believe."

"That's right...we didn't have to do anything different then, did we?"

"Nawh," sounded Applejack. "We just all got together, you did your hocus-pocus, and the power of our friendship took care of the rest."

"Power of our friendship...that's right!" Twilight felt like she had a lead. "Maybe because Rainbow Dash has been gone for so long, the power of our friendship dwindled?"

Five heads turned to look at the malnourished pegasus. Rainbow, in response, hid her face behind her unkempt mane. "I wouldn't blame you," she muttered.

Applejack's brow furrowed. She wanted to say how much things have changed in the last four years, but also point out how much things have remained the same. She wanted to tell her friends to look past the events that took part four years ago, and instead remember that this was Rainbow Dash. She wanted to remind them about how much they meant to her, despite anything that has happened or will happen.

She _wanted_ to say it, but she didn't get a chance, because Rarity (to her shock) spoke faster than she could. "Let's have none of that, Rainbow Dash. You, of all ponies, are not deserving of our hate."

"Beg pardon?" Applejack breathed, genuinely stunned. Had Rarity finally seen what Applejack had always seen?

"I said Rainbow Dash doesn't deserve to be held responsible for all this. This is all Alucard's doing, that monster, and I can't place fault on you for what is so obviously _not_ your will."

Next to her, both Rainbow Dash and Applejack were taken further by surprise. Not only was Rarity openly defending the pegasus, but she was doing it so adamantly like Applejack had done. What had happened to cause such a shift?

The truth was that there were two factors that weighed into Rarity's final decision. The first was clearly the chaos being wrought outside at that time, and how she knew Rainbow Dash would not be capable of such evils. The second came to be after she was told about the visit to Spitfire one day previously. After hearing the story of what had happened, Rarity had spent a lot of time mulling over everything that had come to pass.

"But, Rarity," Applejack began, "didn't ya tell me that you thought Rainbow Dash _meant_ to kill the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow Dash gave an abject look, but her friend continued. "You were so set in your belief back in the forest...why the change?"

"I...I've been doubting myself ever since the cave, dear." The images of the drawings were still vivid in the unicorn's mind. "The way Rainbow has been acting all this time, coupled with how even Spitfire was able to talk to her, considering how much the poor girl has lost...it's all been cause for me to doubt what I had once believed. And now, seeing all this, it's...well, just not _right_."

"So wait." The farm mare took a step toward the fashionista, feeling a need to make sure. "What exactly are you sayin'?"

Rarity didn't hesitate. "I do not blame Rainbow Dash. In fact, I forgive her for what happened in the library."

The words sunk in to the rest of the group. They each considered what Rarity's decision meant, and how they all related to it. Rarity, the unicorn who had said Rainbow Dash was guilty, now claimed her innocent. Didn't that mean that they could forgive her too?

Rainbow Dash suddenly slumped with a soft weight against her side, and when she turned to look, a mass of yellow blocked her view. Fluttershy, in a surge of happiness, had given her long-time friend a hug which passed on her own feelings.

"This isn't your fault," the timid pegasus said through a smile. "I also forgive you, for how you pushed me on the night you left."

Rainbow only blinked, as she had done when Spike had hugged her. And as before, she didn't reply.

The movement from Fluttershy seemed to spur a reaction in the remaining friends, and they all moved in to join the embrace. And as they wrapped their forelegs around each other and said their forgiveness, the air around them seemed to warm up. The seconds spent in the hug gave strength to their strained friendship, which in turn sparked another glow from the Elements, which pooled together thanks to their close proximity to each other.

The power of the Elements began to radiate, fueling the hope of Celestia once more. She had forgotten how powerful the bond of friendship could be, especially in the two days since her sister was injured. Still, as long as the demon in the clouds was brought to justice, what did it matter? She was going to make Alucard pay dearly for taking her sun.

A soft murmur arose from the group-hug. "How ..."

The feeling of coldness swept through the room again, this time biting at the nerves of the Bearers. The light given by the Elements of Harmony faded again, not having any real effect for the six who wore them. As the gems dimmed, Celestia noticed how many lights were shining. There was the star of the tiara, as well as the apple, diamond, balloon, and butterfly of the necklaces.

The bolt had remained completely dark.

"How can you just forgive me?" sounded Rainbow from the center of the hug, which quietly disentangled itself. "After what I've done? What I've wished? You can't just...forgive all that!"

Applejack's ears splayed. They had been so close to getting the Elements to work. "Rainbow, because it's not your fault! This Alucard guy is the one messin' everything up for us - you were tricked from the beginning!"

To her dismay, Rainbow shook her head. Her eyes began to well with tears as her emotion, and indeed the situation outside the palace, began to overwhelm her. "Even so, it wouldn't have been possible if I hadn't run away from home!"

A blast of lightning caused the barrier to flash. Somewhere, Sweetie Belle was struggling to cope with the demands on her system. Apple Bloom was bringing water to some suffering Ponyville refugees. Spike was tearing between rooms, making sure that the ponies within were maintaining order. And in the throne room, five friends and a princess stood silently as the former exile's words took them by surprise.

Twilight found her voice first. "Run away...what do you mean?"

Rainbow looked at her with wide eyes, finally losing herself to pent-up emotion. Clearly, there was more to her guilt than the Wonderbolts Incident. "You sent word to the princess about what had happened at the tryouts."

It was not a question, but a stated fact. The Bearer of Magic nodded. "That's righ-"

"And she probably arrived the same night I left."

"Y-yeah, just a couple hours after-"

Rainbow cut her off again, unable to hold herself silent. "Did Princess Luna come with her?"

Celestia scowled, but nodded. "She insisted."

"So if I hadn't run away, I could have been released from that bound magic on that same night."

Twilight realized where her friend's train of thought was headed. "Well, yeah, but you couldn't have known-"

"Don't tell me that! If I had just stayed, I could have been healed much earlier! Then we could have tracked down Alucard before any of _this_ happened!" She waved her foreleg behind her, indicating the city beyond the walls.

The power of her voice silenced any arguments her friends had. They couldn't argue against the truth.

"He won't stop at Canterlot," Rainbow pressed on. "After he's done here, he'll reach out and attack the other towns - Ponyville, Cloudsdale, they're all going to be targeted. He'll burn the forests and dry up every river before he finishes with Equestria!"

"What are you saying?" Celestia intervened. "How do you know this?"

Shuddering, the frail pegasus looked behind her, gazing upon the hellacious eclipse. "I've seen that before," she admitted.

"You've _what?_" The voices of her friends were shrill.

"I've seen what Alucard plans on doing! While I was laid up in urgent care, I saw it - I thought it was just a nightmare. The eclipse, this storm, the buildings...they were all in my dream! Ponyville was a complete ruin, and Everfree Forest was nothing more than splinters. He's going to move on after he's had his way with Canterlot, and if I had only stayed, none of this would be happening!"

Twilight was skeptical. "How could you have seen his plans? Magic doesn't prompt visions..."

Fluttershy's soft voice sounded from nearby. "I think...this telepathy magic does. On the day that we were attacked, I saw a vision of Ponyville. It was creepy, because the town was empty."

"You could have told us that earlier," Celestia accused.

"I'm sorry! I just mean to say that Rainbow Dash may be right. Alucard wanted Ponyville to be empty, and now...it is. We're all here."

"Yeah, he's got the residents all trapped here," Twilight noted. "Ugh, we must have been playing into his scheme since the very beginning!"

"You see what I mean, then!" Rainbow shouted at them. "I abandoned you all when I needed you the most, when it could have made all the difference! I'm a liar and a coward, and it's because of that all this is happening now! I caused all this by not staying here...and you can't forgive me for that."

She turned her head away, clenching her eyes shut as her throat burned. "What kind of Loyalty am I?" she asked, not receiving an answer. The only sounds were those of the thunderclaps, which continued to skewer the group's confidence.

The sight of their friend so utterly ruined made her friends pause. They could not find a way to counter Rainbow's reasoning, because they too thought it was the truth. But with the situation so dire and the pressure put on by Celestia, they still wracked their minds for a solution. Not just something that would work now, but something that would actually help them.

The building shook more as the barrier grew weaker. Seconds stretched on like ages. Each breath was bitter, each heartbeat muffled. Here they stood, on the eve of their greatest struggle, and they would be defeated without even lifting a horn, wing, or hoof in defense. And the root of their problems had proven to grow much deeper than any of them expected.

Celestia burned through thought after thought, desperate to circumvent the coming doom. Quite unexpectedly, a strong voice sounded from the throne room entrance, one that everypony recognized. "What kind of Loyalty, indeed?"

The noise gained the attention of all seven ponies, turning to see who had arrived. Celestia's breath caught in her throat. "_Luna!_"

"Sister," the younger alicorn greeted simply. She walked slowly along the floor, her injured wing still held aloft inside the splint.

"What are you doing?" Celestia cried, more alarmed than what was necessary. She struggled to stand, crossing the distance in the span of seconds. "You should be in your quarters recovering!"

"I cannot sit idly by while my country is burning, sister."

The princess of the sun gave a low hiss, her annoyance flaring into her pride. "I told you to let me worry about Alucard! You should rest and leave Equestria to me!"

Luna's eyes flashed, and she finally decided that she had had enough. "You're failing Equestria."

The words shocked everypony, never expecting to hear such defiance. "L-Luna!" the elder alicorn gasped. "How can you..."

"Just look at what you've done, sister," Luna pressed on, determined to not be silenced. "It was bad enough that I fell right into Alucard's trap, but now you've done the same. And now you're doing it again, under the impression of protecting me. Sister, it is _not_ working - you're failing, and you don't even realize it."

"I just...I want what's best for everypony! This is the only option I have left!" Celestia's annoyance gave way to desperation, and it was reflected in her tone. "If we don't use the Elements of Harmony, then everything I've built will be gone! I won't let that monster take away what I've given so much to protect!"

"_That's enough, Celestia!_"

The ruler of the day stood before the ruler of the night, the latter's shout echoing beyond the blasts of lightning from outside. Luna glared at her sister, not out of hatred, but only disappointment. In her mind, the disunity of the land had expanded too far. Now it was threatening to take her elder sister from her, and she would not allow that.

There was only one way she could turn this around, and Luna would not be silenced.

"You talk of protecting your land and your subjects, under the impression that you were the only one to have had any influence over the years. Sister, open your eyes - this is _my_ country too. You've been working so hard to handle these problems on your own, and you've forgotten that you're _not_ on your own! Hasn't it occurred to you that perhaps _I_ can help as well?"

"But...y-your wing..."

Luna huffed. "I'm _injured_, Celestia, I'm not _useless_."

"Alucard stole our magic-"

"I'm aware, and he stole more than we realized."

"Then how...how can we hope to beat him without the Elements?"

With a moment to hesitate, Luna gave a small smirk. "We can't. We're still going to use them."

Celestia began to realize that her sister had a solution. "How do you-"

"I just needed to look where you would not."

The sentence tore at Celestia's heart. She had used the same phrase during her own bout with Alucard. "What...Luna, what have you been keeping from me?"

"I have hidden nothing," came the immediate reply. "Can you say the same?"

Celestia gave no reply.

"Then let me help." Luna didn't wait for her sister to give an answer, because she did not expect an answer to arrive. She moved forward, leaving Celestia behind her in a stunned state. It took a moment before the elder alicorn finally came around, and when she did, she finally conceded that she had failed. Not by words, but by action - Celestia lowered her head in deference to Luna.

With the floor finally hers, Luna wasted little time. She stepped through the group of ponies before her, stopping in front of the one who had been lost to them for four years. Rainbow Dash was silent, averting her gaze from the regal alicorn, basking in the guilt she had hidden for so long.

Before the Moon Princess spoke, she gently placed a hoof under Rainbow's chin and lifted her gaze. She wanted, _needed_, to be sure that she was understood. Their eyes met, trembling magenta encountering steady turquoise. They made for a disturbing sight - a thin, malnourished pegasus, stuck in the fear of old days, in the company of a powerful but injured alicorn, who was left with nothing but her words.

"You are right to question your claim to the title of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash," Luna began softly. "The trials you have been forced to undertake, the paths you have chosen to walk, and the consequences of them both have all been placed on you. The way you are now is just another of those consequences, borne of a choice you made while under fire.

"What kind of Loyalty are you? You might think you're the kind of Loyalty that looks after only yourself, who seeks only to appease your own whimsy. And you can argue that point well - running away to evade murder charges, hiding to evade royal search parties, and even attempting suicide to evade responsibility."

Rainbow tried to tear her gaze away, but Luna held it firm. The mention of her attempt at killing herself had swollen her shame, and she could feel an urge to hide.

"You must have wondered this as well, but let me be the voice of it. Rainbow Dash, why is it that _you_ had to be bound by Alucard's magic?"

Twilight and the rest looked amongst themselves, curious at the question. For a reason she couldn't fathom, Twilight had never considered the question - she had always just looked toward the nature of the magic, and not the purpose. The _how_ instead of the _why_.The same could be said of Rainbow.

"You don't have an answer?" Luna continued. "Then let me tell you what I believe. I believe that Alucard bound his magic to you because you were Loyalty incarnate, the Bearer of the Element of the same name. And with that loyalty comes pride, a burden the past Bearers had to bear before you. He needed to break you, Loyalty, in order to break Harmony.

"It had to be you. He could have targeted any of the other Elements easily, but he chose you. He chose you because of the pride you also held, and he exploited that, turned it into a weakness. When he had that weakness, all he had to do was turn it on itself. Turn you against yourself.

"So what kind of Loyalty are you? Alucard would have you believe you're a mockery of the Element you bear. He would have you believe you're not worthy of the honor. Is he correct?"

Rainbow Dash sat silently for what felt like an age. She tore through her thoughts, her memories, her experiences, finding relevance to everything that Luna had just voiced. Pride? She had more pride in one feather than most ponies had in their whole bodies - at least, that's how it used to be. Rainbow would often saunter around her Ponyville home, confident in her flying ability and superior agility. She would find competition in everyday things, even something as small as a ticket to a social gathering.

And if Alucard had turned it into a weakness, then how much work did he actually have to do? She had shown, numerous times, that when her pride was beaten, she would become humble and open. Humility was something on which he could have latched, poisoning it until it turned inside-out. She would be open to other options, some with only one outcome. Options like the rocks in the hills, or the starvation and the tricking of her friends.

Then came her friends. If she really were devoted to Loyalty, wouldn't she have stayed with them? Even if it meant facing the punishment that came with murder, she would have stayed with them if only for the illusion of unity. By running away and abandoning all responsibility, Rainbow had proven that Loyalty was not a part of her, that she was not deserving of the gift. She had given up on everything she had worked for, instead choosing to save herself. Wasn't that right?

Luna saw the glimmer of understanding behind Rainbow's eyes, and spoke again before the pegasus could answer. "Is that also what _you_ believe?"

"I-"

"Loyalty can be buried by lies, Rainbow Dash," the princess interrupted, determined to make her point. "Throw enough deceit around the shine of Loyalty, and the light it gives can go unseen. Taint enough pride with the weight of shame, and soon you will never be able to move on. These are the ties that I see binding you to your guilt."

Luna paused for a breath, her eyes softening. "What if you were not guilty of anything?"

From behind, Celestia's head rose as she listened intently. What was Luna hinting? Could she be alluding to the crimes from four years ago? Or was there something deeper, something that Celestia didn't see? _Couldn't_ see?

"Wha...not guilty?" Rainbow echoed. "I don't understand..."

"Alucard would have you believe that, by running away from your home and friends, you betrayed everything that Loyalty stands for. Your pride was deformed, molded to create a weakness. I would say that he is lying, and his lies have tainted your _belief_ in Loyalty, and thus your connection to it. It has been buried beneath his trickery, and you've been fumbling around in the dark ever since the tryouts.

"You see, Rainbow Dash, when you and your friends defeated me, you did so by finding the 'spark' that awoke your Elements, and tied your spirits to them. The power that now commands the Elements is the friendship you hold in these ponies with you, and it's that power that makes the Elements of Harmony a true wonder in the world. Therefore, what if your actions stemmed not from pride, or guilt, but out of friendship? Out of a different, more _true_ Loyalty?

"I've come to believe that you didn't act out of shame or fear, but protection. You didn't run away to escape the consequences of four ponies dying. Rather, you ran away in order to keep your friends safe from whatever had already harmed four other pegasi. Wasn't that why you fled?"

An echo of a memory rose through Rainbow's thoughts. It was an echo of what she had shouted to Spitfire while the two of them flew through the rain. _"Please, don't! I don't want to hurt you!"_

"What I've come to understand is that Loyalty can run much deeper than what most ponies think. And there's one thing that embodies Loyalty above all else: sacrifice. You gave up all you had, because you believed that you _were_ the cause of deaths. You gave it all up specifically to keep your friends away from the magic. That is why you fled," Luna repeated, allowing the words to take root.

More memories arose, scenes of days that were not far off, yet felt like ages past. A pair of tired ponies, speaking with a third, who was terrified of the magic bound to her. Not of what it had done, but of what it _could_ do. _"How did you find me? I thought I was far enough away to keep you safe."_

"And in your choice, in your _sacrifice_," Luna pressed on, "you proved that you embody Loyalty on a much deeper level. It's symbiotic, emboldening, and terrifying all at once. You are not loyal to your friends, but rather to their well-being, to their lives. In your heart, you knew that they would eventually come to regain happiness, even if the happiness were flawed without you. But that was alright, because they would be able to experience happiness still, at the cost of your own."

Finally, Luna lowered her hoof and released Rainbow's face, but the pegasus did not look away. They continued to meet each other's gaze, the understanding of one passing on to the other. And slowly, painfully, that understanding began to spark and alight something that had been hidden away, buried away.

"_Forget you found me...forget I ever existed! It's better that way!"_

"_You haven't given up on me, have you?"_

"_I don't want to hurt anypony, Fluttershy! I never wanted to!"_

"_I won't run. I'm...tired of running and hiding."_

Amidst the echoes, a warm feeling arose on Rainbow's cheek. The same cheek that Applejack had struck in an attempt to knock sense into her. The purpose for the slap became clearer with each echo that sounded, until it all finally grew too much.

The spark of understanding behind Rainbow's eyes glimmered, and a single tear began a slow descent down her muzzle. She lifted a hoof and wiped the embarrassing tear away, unable to hide a small grin as she did. The grin expanded, sad and hopeful and determined all at once. She began to give light laughs, small half-chuckles that revealed just how blind she had been.

"I am so stupid," she muttered.

Luna shook her head. "No," she countered. "You are Loyalty."

The air around the ponies seemed to heat up as though a fire had been stoked beneath their hooves. But unlike a fire, this heat was soothing, comforting. With the heat came a light that was just as sudden, and both grew until they reached their peak. Everypony looked over, seeking the source of the shine. It did not take long to find it.

The Element of Loyalty, the bolt emblem set within a gold necklace, radiated with a power that had been forgotten. The light of the gem expanded, giving off multi-colored tendrils of power. They stretched, waved, then curled inward, wrapping themselves around Rainbow's body. When they contacted her body, she too began to shine, until finally the stark white of the flowing waves completely ensconced her in a cocoon of power.

The sheer power of the Element rose her off the ground without the need of her wings. After a moment, the light pulsed, giving off a wave of what could only be described as life. The pulses continued, slowly at first, gaining frequency and resolve as they were once again claimed by the one who deserved them.

Finally, the power drew in on itself, only to give off one final burst of brilliant light which swept across the throne room. The light seemed to awaken the remaining Elements, which each began to shine and hum with the power for which they were known. The respective Bearers glanced at their gems, unable to hold back their smiles.

In time, the light and power finally withdrew, and Rainbow Dash was gently set on the floor. But she was not the Rainbow Dash that was found in the cave, nor was she the Rainbow Dash left broken in Spitfire's home. The power of her Element had restored her. Instead of a thin body, she was toned. Instead of frail wings, she looked ready to fly. Instead of fear and doubt, there was comfort and confidence. She was Rainbow Dash, the Bearer of Loyalty, and the last piece missing for Harmony to exist.

Rainbow took a moment to look herself over, hardly able to believe what had happened. She examined her body, admired her shining Element, and then looked to her friends. No words were needed.

Slowly, her friends all came to her and joined her in a second group-hug, this one _much_ more real than the one before. With a sigh of glee, she returned the hug with newfound vigor, gripping her friends with all the memories she cherished most. None of them knew who began laughing first, but soon the entire mass was in a fit of giggles, chuckles, and cheers.

Luna stepped back and enjoyed the sight, with Celestia joining her side soon after. It was clear that the elder had been humbled by what she had just seen.

Celestia turned her head. "I'm so sorry."

"Sister?"

"I'm sorry, Luna," she repeated. "You were right...have been right this whole time. I was so concerned with keeping my people safe, I was blind to the real solution. I truly was failing Equestria, but you have not. I should have listened to you from the beginning."

To her shock, Luna passed it off with a good-hearted laugh. "Tia, haven't you listened to a word I've said? There's no guilt to be held when you act out of protection."

Celestia paused for a moment before giving a warm smile. She leaned down and nudged her sister lovingly, unable to express just how happy she was. "I'd be happy to let you raise the moon, if you're still interested," she offered.

"Of course," Luna affirmed, her tone going steely. "But first we need to get it back."

It wasn't long before the group of friends came back to reality. The blasts of lightning continued to ravage the royal city, and the unicorns tending to the barrier were just barely holding against it. Now with a proper means to counter Alucard's onslaught, the gathered ponies discussed the method.

"The clouds are abnormal," Celestia explained. "They're empowered by the magic that Alucard's using to attack the city, and so none of my pegasi have been able to breach it. We would need something magical _and_ fast enough to even stand a chance of getting through."

"You shouldn't spare any unicorn," Twilight said, somewhat redundantly. "With this palace being the refuge of two entire towns, you need to continue to protect it as best you can. There's nowhere else for these ponies to go, so you _must_ keep the barrier strong."

Rarity offered her thoughts. "What I don't understand is how this monster is commanding so much magic at once. Even if he is an alicorn, shouldn't there be a limit?"

"We alicorns _do_ have limits," explained Luna. "But he's drawing power from the eclipse he's made. They're mutually symbiotic - he brings the eclipse over him with magic, and in turn it provides him with more magic to command."

"Are you simply not able to command the moon to move? Break his eclipse?"

Luna shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Alucard stole more than just my moon-moving spell. He also learned a technique I haven't dared use since I was freed from being Nightmare Moon."

"What technique?" Twilight asked, ever the curious one.

"You recall the story of Nightmare Moon? How the younger sister refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn? I had learned to block my sister's spell from taking the moon from me, as well as stopping her from raising the sun. It is this spell that's keeping Celestia and I from reclaiming our rights, so until Alucard is dealt with, we are quite without options."

The talk continued, each pony discussing different means of reaching Alucard, or else bringing Alucard to them. Rainbow had stepped away, turning to look at the black storm clouds that circled overhead. She studied them, taking note of how dangerous they looked and how the eye of the storm allowed a perfect view of the eclipse. In every respect, it was just as nightmarish as the vision she had seen while in urgent care, so very long ago.

She continued to stare at them, keeping her thoughts to herself, until finally Applejack joined her. The farm mare placed a reassuring hoof on her friend's shoulder. "You gonna be okay?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe."

"Somethin' still bothering you?"

Rainbow gave a light sigh. "We still don't know _why_ Alucard needed me in the first place."

"Pardon?"

"Luna made a good point earlier. He could have gone to anypony, and might have been stronger based on who he chose. Doesn't it make more sense to corrupt the Element of Magic, instead of Loyalty? Why me?"

Applejack gave a defeated huff. "Ah bet there's only one pony who can answer that question."

Without warning, Rainbow stood and turned, conviction in her voice. "Then let's go ask him."

The pair of friends returned to the group, who had not made any progress in their discussion. "I had a chance," Celestia was saying, "to stop him. As he was moving the sun and moon, I had an opening, but I hesitated, because he asked me if I was prepared to kill an innocent. What do you suppose he meant?"

"I don't get it," Twilight conceded. "Alucard is anything _but_ innocent, and now we're stuck here. Nothing we cast will penetrate those clouds, but we can't spare any unicorns to try anything drastic. If we do, we lose our barrier, and then _everyone_ is in trouble! And if we can't get any pegasi high enough to enter the eye of the storm, then we're just out of options!"

"Then we're thinking with the wrong tactics," Rainbow interjected.

Twilight jumped. She hadn't seen her friend re-join the discussion. "Wrong tactics? What other tactics _are_ there? We're running out of time!"

"Settle down, Twilight," Celestia said. "We haven't been beaten yet, not completely. Rainbow Dash?"

The cyan pegasus looked to each of the princesses, then to all of her friends. Her eyes glinted with resolve, yet there remained a hint of defiance flickering within. She flexed her wings, feeling their strength, testing their endurance. Finally, she turned to give one last look at the storm outside, narrowing her gaze like a hunter spotting her prey.

Rainbow Dash faced the group, a ghost of a smirk on her lips. "I have an idea."

**End chapter fourteen**

Author's comments: Oh, _wow_, I have been ITCHING to get this one out. Doesn't excuse the month-long writing time, but still~

I sincerely hope you all understand the plot here. It's been digging at my mind ever since the fic began, and it's such a relief to finally see it put into production. Also, if you can't tell, I have great respect for Luna, both as a ruler and as a character. She was not just here for a shock factor in chapter ten!

Co-author's comments: Bet you didn't see that explanation coming. If you did, wow. Welcome to the minds of us. As Aaron has said in his comment, everything about this story, from Dash, to Alucard, to even the elements, has all been planned out from the very beginning. Aaron's had most of the idea behind the elements, while I helped with how all of the mane six has drifted from their elements, save Applejack for not forgetting about Dash. She stayed honest for the whole story.

Next chapter: The fate of Equestria now, as before, lies in the hooves of Rainbow Dash and her closest friends. Their power rekindled and their sights focused by Rainbow's plan, the group braves the open city. Even without the aid from the princesses or the military, they are prepared to bring justice to Alucard and his evils. They need only to breach his realm.


	15. Conflagration

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>The unsung example of a golden effort!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: The last time I tried to claim commercial right over something, I ended up stranded in Dodge Junction with Rarity. I loved it, but she didn't, so let me spare her makeover. I don't own the rights to the show, likenesses, or products. All rights go to Faust, Theisson, and Hasbro.

Rainbow Dash is _back_, everypony! After a much-needed encounter with Luna, the power of the Element of Loyalty awoke Rainbow's inner strength, and now she's ready to take on the monster who has caused everything, Alucard.

Before she can, though, she and her friends need to find a way to breach his stormcloud lair. Rainbow has a devious idea, but she'll need the help of the princess to make it happen.

ACT III - _The Prestige_  
><span><strong>Chapter fifteen:<strong> Conflagration

The storm was gaining strength. With the evacuation of Canterlot into the palace finally complete - despite some regrettable losses - Alucard was no longer content to blindly strike the city. Each bolt of his lethal lightning was concentrated, spearing and striking the fuchsia barrier that stood in his way. He was determined to bring down Canterlot Castle next, and he knew that the unicorn guard couldn't outlast his might for long.

His work was seen on various streets and nearly all the buildings. The poor souls who could not evade his power were lying limp in the roads, some only a few yards away from their home or a building. The buildings themselves were in terrible condition, many having massive holes blown out of their sides or roofs. The prowess of earth pony construction meant that none of the buildings had toppled, but Alucard would be sure to amend that after he had his way with the refugees.

It was mid-afternoon.

The inside of the palace had effectively settled to an uncomfortable atmosphere. Even those who knew nothing of Alucard, the Ponyville assault, or the injuries their princess suffered could easily tell that they were under siege. What they did not understand was why the Canterlot Military had not reacted in kind, and instead chose to house the entirety of two towns in one building. Nearly every room and hallway in the palace was filled, some to capacity, as the guard maintained the barrier around the castle.

The same could not be said of the palace throne room, which was a far sight more empty than anywhere else. Inside the throne room, a group of eight mares were gathered, six of which wore powerful artifacts that glowed with immense power. The two remaining, Celestia and Luna, were looking upon them, mulling over the plan that they had just been told. The 'idea' that Rainbow Dash had proclaimed just moments ago.

"You realize," Luna stated, "that this plan of yours means that you will have no further support. Everything will be riding on you and what your friends can do."

Rainbow Dash looked at her, a calm confidence speaking volumes. She nodded slowly, having already considered the problem earlier. "It also means that all this ends today. Alucard has done far too much already, and I won't allow him to do any more."

Celestia leaned down, making eye contact with the newly-restored pegasus. "And what are you prepared to do in order to prevent any more damage?"

Simply, Rainbow replied. "Whatever it takes." She stamped a hoof on the floor for emphasis. "I've already been blamed for murder once - maybe I'll get to feel what it's like for real."

The statement gave everypony pause as they realized that she truly was ready to go any length. Nearby, Twilight and Rarity exchanged looks, while Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked a little surprised. Applejack, however, nodded imperceptibly, as though knowing it would have come to this.

The two princesses considered the mare, each thinking that she had become _more_ suicidal in the days she had last attempted it. However, without options or any other method of reprisal, they weighed the consequences of what could, and most likely would, happen. Luna nodded first, eager to see justice enacted for her broken wing. Celestia's nod followed shortly thereafter, wanting to get her sun and city back.

"Very well, Rainbow Dash," Luna spoke on behalf of the royalty. "I can help you to begin, but it's the only assistance I can provide. Once I am finished, the rest is up to you. To all of you," she amended, nodding to the line of Bearers.

Twilight stepped forward, never one to leave details unexplored. "Princess, please be careful. When I tried the spell, it was far too difficult to perform on more than one pony. Casting in on four could prove...problematic."

"Relax, Twilight Sparkle," the moon regent assured. "I once commanded the Elements as well, don't forget."

The librarian nodded, her doubts settling below her radar. In her mind, Rainbow's idea was nothing short of ludicrous, based on chance and faith and all things unscientific. While it was true that magic would work wonders, what her friend had in mind could only be thought of as miraculous. To enact a phenomenon that was already a legend, then to add five more ponies into the mix...

"Go over it one more time, please," she asked.

Rainbow turned and explained her ludicrous idea. Either the result of her Element or her confidence, she had the idea of performing her signature Sonic Rainboom, while using the magic of her Element of Harmony to help breach the clouds above. She reasoned that, once she got in the air and gained enough speed, the rest would be easy.

The trouble arose with the numbers. Rainbow said that all six of them could do it - enact a Sonic Rainboom at the same time, and use the combined power of all six Elements to punch through the clouds. Obviously, the first problem came with how it would be possible, but she had thought of that. One of the princesses, Luna (who still had magic), would cast the flight spell that Twilight had once used on Rarity. In theory, the alicorn's magical prowess would be enough to give the four non-flight ponies the wings they would need.

The next problem came with gaining a good enough start to make this possible, but Celestia had solved that dilemma. The old headquarters of the Wonderbolts was nearby, which had since been condemned and was scheduled for repurposing into a museum early the following spring. Inside the headquarters was a training area, complete with a launch pad from which they could jump. Given enough altitude, the team of six could reach the necessary speed in much less time.

The time was vital. In order to even use the pad, Rainbow and her friends would need to brave the open city. As soon as they were beyond the shelter of the barrier, they would be targets for Alucard to entertain himself. They needed to be sure to not stop for anything while they were exposed, be it on the ground or in the air.

In essence, Rainbow's plan had five phases - gain wings for everyone, reach the Wonderbolts' building, use the pad to gain good speed, fly fast until they all broke Mach One, then invade Alucard's personal space and send him packing with his tail between his legs.

Or, more likely, send him down to earth. Hard.

"I can't stress enough how important it is that we stay in flight formation," Rainbow Dash told them like a true team leader. "If we break apart, then the plan falls apart, and we will _not_ be given a second chance. Stay on me no matter what."

The five friends with her all looked back, some with lingering doubt or wonder. Understandably so, since most of them had no experience in flying, much less while in formation. In time, however, they all nodded, ready to stand against this monster and reject his evils.

The group of six was connected, that much could be said. But their motivation for bringing Alucard down was askew, since only one among the Bearers had ever made contact with him. While Rainbow Dash had true motivation, both for wanting answers and for making things right, the rest wanted either one or the other. They didn't even know what he _looked_ like.

There was so much more that Rainbow Dash wanted to say. In the four years she had been hiding, she had dwelled on her thoughts and experiences. She had come to appreciate everything that she had once taken for granted, and the fact that she had given it all up still caused a twinge of regret. Not regret for her, but for her friends, because they were also denied the happiness of having her around.

She smiled. Right now, though, none of that mattered. Her conscience was clear, and only a few questions remained unanswered. The only way she could gain those answers was by facing the one pony behind everything. Then, after things were made right, she would say what she wanted to say.

Rainbow Dash turned and nodded to Luna. The alicorn nodded in turn.

Luna closed her eyes and called on her power, which had still not fully recovered from Alucard having his mind in hers. She had strength enough for this, and planned on giving the ponies she saw less as allies and more as friends as strong a gift as she could manage.

A dark blue light began to envelope the bodies of Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack as the spell began to work. The light spiraled until their forms were unseen, the magic beginning to spark with bolts as dark as night. Unlike the lightning that Alucard commanded, these bolts were promising.

The corona of magic surrounding Luna's horn darkened to a solid hue, and four shining orbs of power emerged. They flew lazily through the air until they reached the four ponies, where they hesitated. Luna cracked one eye open, making sure she wasn't making any mistakes. Then, with a huff of effort, she gave one final push. The orbs sank into the fields that surrounded the mares.

The magical output caused a small explosion, which caused Luna to sink to her knees. She cried out as she finished her incantation, effectively draining what magic she had recovered in her rest. The burst of power caused a flash that temporarily blinded everypony, with the lingering magic in the air flowing and tickling their senses.

For a moment, nothing happened. The first to speak was Pinkie Pie, her clear voice chipper as always. "Ooh, _pretty!_"

Luna, Rainbow, Celestia, and Fluttershy all opened their eyes to view the handiwork. The spell was a complete success, but on a deeper level than the two pegasi were expecting. Rainbow Dash gasped in surprise, while Luna sighed in relief.

Rather than the butterfly wings of which Rarity had once been proud, the four mares had been given translucent, almost crystalline pegasus wings, each pair mimicking the color of their owner. They stood out rigid, settling in to the nerve systems of their owners, already fluttering and bending in reflex. They were like cut diamond, but moved like real wings. The light they caught from the glowing Elements refracted and danced along the walls and ceiling, much like sunlight in water.

They were beyond Pinkie's statement of pretty. They were gorgeous, ravishing, stunning, magical.

"So much..._different_ than when I had tried it," Twilight muttered, admiring the sheer beauty and innate strength they held.

"This is concentrated, Twilight Sparkle," Luna explained from her position on the floor. "I didn't want to risk spreading the power so it would last for three days. I've given you all the magic I can spare, enough for at least six hours. This power should give you the flying tone to equal Rainbow Dash, although..."

Pinkie looked over. "Something wrong?"

"Well...there can be no substitute for experience. You all will need to get accustomed to your wings on your own. They should work just like extra appendages, but you'll need to remember that they are there."

Rainbow Dash gave a firm nod, satisfied with the result. "Six hours, then. Plenty of time to make things right."

The first phase of her plan was complete, done without a hitch. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack spent a moment to test their new gifts, kicking off and hovering without too much effort. It was, needless to say, an otherworldly experience for the mares, but the power given them by their Elements seemed to include confidence. Somehow, they _knew_ they would be able to fly. The only question was how well.

It was a question that would have to be answered through application. When the moment of testing passed, the six friends looked at one another, then to the sister princesses. Then they turned, moving as a unit, and galloped toward the throne room doors. Soon their forms vanished behind them as the doors closed, and their rapid hoofsteps were heard only for a moment before the palace was rocked by more lightning.

Celestia and Luna watched them go, the younger pushing herself from the floor to sit comfortably. Not to say that either of them were comfortable, with their conditions nor the entire horrid affair. Yet something deep, intuitive, and simply unknown to them seemed to give them hope. A glimmer in the dark, much like the shine of the Elements of Harmony in the sight of the eclipse.

In spite of the circumstances or situations, this simply felt _right_. There really was no other way for this to be. Rainbow Dash was reconnected with her Element - and, more importantly, with her friends. Her presence came with a promise, one that said action _would_ be taken. Changes _would_ be made. And the influence of that promise was as colorful as her mane. A rainbow without rain.

"None of us said goodbye," Luna pointed out, not looking away from the closed doors.

Celestia nodded. "None of us wanted to."

Phase two of Rainbow's plan was put into action as soon as the team reached the great hall. They rounded a corner and were immediately met with teeming masses of frightened ponies, many of whom were not aware that the Element Bearers were in the building. They all soon noticed easily, largely due to them pushing through their condensed mass. It was hard to miss shimmering wings and six radiant lights running past, not to mention the rising cheer of hope that followed their wake.

"It's them...it's them!"

"The heroes who stopped the eternal night!"

"No, the ones who ended chaos!"

"They've come to save us! We're going to be okay!"

"Go! You can do it! We believe in you!"

As the cheers rose, so did their spirits. Eyes narrow, minds clear, the praised Bearers passed a row of unicorn guards who were barely coping with the strain. The sight of the six mares seemed to give them strength, and the guards were able to push a little harder.

Rainbow Dash and her friends reached the doors, forced them open, and finally got a good view of how far along Alucard's storm had ravaged the city. The streets were littered with fallen bricks and mortar, criss-crossed with timbers and beams. Trees and fountains had been annihilated, spewing leaves, limbs, stone and water wherever gravity carried them. The buildings looked poxed, their innards revealed through wide holes and deep cuts, some even shearing the corners of rooftops. The lightning had not been able to light any fires - a small comfort - but the resulting darkness made the scene even more nightmarish. But the worst of all were the occasional bodies of ponies who had not been fast enough.

Rainbow couldn't help but look ahead, to a point only a few dozen yards away. There, two mares were still, their eyes wide and frightful and completely empty. The mother and daughter from earlier, taken, just like Celestia's four pegasi guards. Just like the four Wonderbolts.

The resolve in Rainbow's mind burned hotter. She would make this right, no matter what the cost. Too much had been paid by others already.

She turned, spotted the decrepit Wonderbolts building down the street, and gauged the risks. There was absolutely no cover once they were clear of the barrier. They would have to rely on speed and surprise in order to stand a chance of making the distance.

It would be difficult. One chance only. They needed to be absolutely swift, and could not afford any setbacks. Even the smallest could spell disast-

The barrier shone white with dispersing power as a bolt of lightning struck a point _directly_ over their heads. The sound of the crack forced them to crouch out of reflex. Rainbow looked up, seeing the few remaining sparks of magic fly outward as the barrier barely held.

Clearly, they did _not_ have the element of surprise. Disaster had been averted, but just barely. They had to move now.

Wordlessly, Rainbow took off at a full gallop, pumping her wings for speed. Her five friends followed suit almost immediately, matching her speed. They reached the edge of the barrier and its light, and once they passed it, they were plunged into the darkness of Alucard's storm. They felt the unblinking gaze of his eclipse on their backs.

Rarity called on her magic, spreading a cone of light in front of them. With the aid of the light, the six friends were able to avoid the wreckage of buildings and café tables, sometimes leaping over them with the aid of their wings. They ran, knowing that lives depended on what they did.

The air around them became electrified, and Rainbow chanced looking up. The clouds above them were reacting, forming a bolt in an attempt to intercept. Ethereal black magic met and converged on a point, joined shortly after by dancing patterns of white. It fired.

"_Scatter!_"

The cyan pegasus pumped her legs and dived to the side, rolling away. The spot where she had been only a heartbeat before became enveloped in lethal magic, and the sound of the blast caused her ears to ring. But she had avoided the bolt, avoided catastrophe. A quick look behind her told her that her friends had done the same. Five harried faces looked toward her, shaken but alive.

The spot where the lightning had struck was torn asunder, like somepony had extracted a section of the sidewalk with nothing more than a stick of dynamite and a lapse in judgement. Rainbow panted with exertion. They had been lucky twice now - best not to see how far their luck would hold.

She jerked her head toward the Wonderbolts building, which was still a distance away. Her friends rose and regrouped, Rarity's light spell giving them sight in the darkness. They took off once more, still wary of obstacles in the road and the death from above.

The further they ran, the more troublesome the lightning became. Using the lack of light to his advantage, Alucard began striking the nearby buildings once more, bringing down debris to block the streets further. While it certainly slowed the approach of the six mares, it did not stop them - Rainbow's experience was prepared to handle tighter spaces than this, and her friends followed closely, stepping precisely where she stepped.

Fatigue began to crawl up their throats, but still they galloped, the sight of the headquarters giving them strength. They were getting closer, but the blasts of lightning had slowed - Rainbow looked skyward to gauge what her enemy was doing. At the cloud layer, jagged streaks of power were converging, combining for a much larger strike against them.

"Rainbow, look!" Rarity called, staring at a point ahead.

The pegasus brought her gaze around, and saw the problem. Before the building they were running toward was a large wooden fence, Canterlot-grade, with a sturdy gate and lock on the front. Tacked across it were notices of condemnation, but that wasn't the problem. The real problem was that the fence was too high to easily fly over it, but they could not afford to back up and gain height. Doing so would give the lightning above more than enough time to fire. And this time, Rainbow wasn't sure she and her friends would be so lucky.

An idea dashed across her mind. "Twilight!" she called.

Almost immediately, a bright purple flare sped past her head, cackling with magic. The flare washed over the lock, dissolving it with no effort. The gate of the fence was exposed, lightly singed with the residue of Twilight's spell.

"Applejack!"

With an extra burst of speed, an orange mare with magical wings ran up and broadsided the gate with the force of a train car. A sharp _crack_ went out as the wooden planks failed, and the gate was forced open. The entrance to the Wonderbolts' old headquarters was fully revealed.

Rainbow allowed a surge of happiness to course through her. It was _good_ to be back with her friends.

They crossed the threshold of the fence and double-timed toward the doors. Above them, they heard the clouds cry out as the overpowered lightning was released, arcing directly for them. It became a race, one with the highest stakes.

One final pump of their wings fed air behind them, and they leapt through the weakened doorway. The air became electric as the lightning neared them like a ravenous predator. One, two, three ponies cleared the doorway. Four, then five. Fluttershy was inches behind, equal parts panic and courage behind her eyes.

The lightning struck the ground just outside the doorways, kicking up strands of power that crawled up walls and shattered windows. The force of the blast carried Fluttershy into the building, safe and sound and very, very terrified. She crashed into her friends and joined them in a collective huddle. Then the burst of noise washed over them.

The displaced winds and various debris buffeted the group as they huddled together, praying that their shelter would hold. The sheer presence of the magic's sound caused their ears to ring once more, so they felt the ground tremble but did not hear if it was cracking. Plumes of dust rose up like waves, stealing their vision as well. The entire building could have collapsed on them, and they wouldn't have known until it was too late. They gripped each other tightly, their only knowledge of each other's safety in their embrace.

Whose heart was pounding fastest? It was impossible to tell. But all six hearts were pounding.

After an age that lasted only seconds, the world seemed to settle into perfect darkness, save the glimmer of six Elements. Slowly, the group of friends relaxed their hold on each other, though they all still held their breath. Rarity moaned and recollected her magic, casting a more gentle light about them.

Sight restored, the friends gauged their surroundings. They looked at each other, quieting any fears of whether or not they were okay. Each of them panted hard, allowing the excitement of the danger to ebb a bit at a time.

Applejack looked behind her, whistling in appreciation. "Whoa, nelly, that was a mite _too_ close for comfort."

The force of the magic had completely toppled the entrance of the building, bringing rubble down. It was not possible to see where the doors had been - if they were not vaporized, then they had been buried. Piles of planks, bricks, and mortar met and merged into one great hill, effectively sealing the entrance. It had also saved their lives.

Two more deadly blasts of magic struck the building, but none further. Alucard fixed his attention on the palace once more, apparently more interested in the population of two towns than six ponies on their own. As the sounds of rumbling thunder moved away and the dust of the shaking settled, Rainbow and her friends recovered themselves. The run had been hard, exciting, and _very_ close, and they were grateful for the reprieve.

Rainbow Dash finally allowed herself a breath. Phase two, complete.

"Applejack!" Twilight started. "You're bleeding."

The draft mare brought her left shoulder around, where a mild but steady stream of blood slowly flowed down her foreleg. "Would ya lookit that. Yep, Ah'd say the gate out there had a thing or two to say about bein' plowed over like that." She didn't sound the least bit concerned. Without a second thought, she strained her head and began to lick at the wound, spitting out the blood that collected on her tongue.

Fluttershy walked up, inspecting the injury. "Ooh, that looks like it might get bad. Shouldn't we..."

"Later," came the reply. "Ah'd suffered bruises ten times worse than this and slept easy."

With a huff of amusement that was ironic given the state of things, Rarity spread more light around them. The spell allowed them to properly take stock of where they were. Surrounding them were chairs and tables, with a set of long desks nearby, clearly indicating a lobby. Along the walls were life-sized posters of the Wonderbolts, their names, signatures, snapshots of their routines, and sky-view paintings of various cities where they had performed - many of the frames askew from the tremors of the storm. The lobby itself was shallow, like half of the room was sealed off.

In the middle of the room was a simple staircase leading up a floor, and in front of those stairs was a pedestal that was at-odds with the rest of the room. Resting atop the pedestal was a simple engraving, clearly an addition after the aerial team had dissolved. Curious, Rainbow inspected the engraving, and felt a wave of melancholy.

The words on the stone depicted a summary of the team and their feats, including the dates of their existence. The team had been formed by a pegasus named Microburst, barely eight years before Rainbow was even born. Their first show had been outside Fillydelphia, as a treat to the locals. They had gained world renown in so short a time, and their time was cut off far too early.

Rainbow's body tightened. She fought the urge to swear.

The light around her grew as Rarity walked up beside her. The Bearer of Generosity spent a moment to read the engraving, then touched a hoof to Loyalty's own in an attempt to pass comfort. "Rainbow, darling? Are...you okay?"

The pegasus sighed, coming to terms with herself again. "I never imagined my first time here would be like this."

"Oh, yes, I...I'm sorry."

"Heh," Rainbow scoffed. "It's fine. I may have had my dream taken from me, but it's nothing compared to what's happening now."

"That's right," Twilight chipped in. "We've got to stop this monster and set things right again. What's the plan from here?"

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow. She smiled. "You know, normally _you're_ the one who leads these crazy adventures."

The lavender unicorn bowed her head, also grinning. She said nothing

With a nod, Rainbow gazed up the stairs. "This place is built for pegasi, and this room looks like it was cut off part-way through. I'm willing to bet that the Wonderbolts had their diving platform somewhere high up, where they could free-fall all the way to the ground floor. We need to get there."

'_Phase three,'_ she thought.

The ascent through the headquarters was, thankfully, uneventful, but the ponies did not give themselves any more breaks. They kept a swift pace, climbing one set of stairs after another, passing a trio of floors dedicated to different needs. The third floor, as it turned out, was the living quarters of the team, complete with bedrooms and a large kitchen. The fourth story held their trophies and awards for competition, entertainment, and public service. Clearly, Spitfire had been proud of the legacy she had woven.

The real sight, however, began at the fifth floor, where the ceiling fell away and gave access to an impressive pillar that led higher and higher into enclosed air. Rainbow Dash and her friends slowed to a trot out of appreciation. The pillar shot upwards, beginning at an edge that fell straight down to the ground floor. It had been decorated at the base with various pony mannequins with old Wonderbolt flight suits, the trademark bolt-and-wings emblem, and visages of pegasi flying toward the sky. Despite being a pillar of pegasi use, there was a set of stairs that wound to the top - which was easily another ten stories up.

Beyond the pillar was empty space for another few floors, but the walls of the headquarters still surrounded them. The entire launch pad was enclosed within the building. Rainbow could only guess that this launch area was specifically for training free-fall while in formation, whereas the real choreography would take place elsewhere.

She scowled. That was a problem. If they could not get back outside once they jumped, then her plan would completely fail.

Fortune was on their side, it seemed. After the lightning had sealed them inside the lobby, Alucard has sent two more blasts against the building, blasts that had rent a hole in the wall that was now above their heads. Rainbow Dash craned her neck and inspected it. It was far from ideal, and was not as high as she wanted, but it would fit her team.

The thought gave her pause. She had just thought of her friends as a team, here in the headquarters of the greatest aerial squad in history. Under different circumstances, she might have been happy to have a team here. She might have been completely content with her life.

"Rainbow Dash?" somepony called from behind her.

She shook her head, dispelling the wave of emotion. Lives were counting on her, and every moment lost was one more bolt against the palace. There would be time for sad memories later, when all this was done. Rainbow turned and joined her friends - her _team_ - as they ascended the staircase that wrapped around the pillar.

The trot upward took an annoying amount of time, and Applejack had something she wanted to voice. She slowed down, allowed her two unicorn and fellow earth pony friends to pass her, and joined Rainbow Dash at the end of the line. "Hey, Rainbow...how ya feelin'?"

Rainbow kept her gaze forward, like solid steel. _'Hadn't she asked me that on the day of the tryouts?'_ she wondered. "I'm okay."

"Just 'okay?'"

"Well, yeah. What else can I be?"

Applejack scoffed, but held some of it back, making a dry cough instead. "Plenty, I reckon. You haven't flown since the night you left."

And there it was. Rainbow's face turned grim for only a moment, her lips tightening and her eyes narrowing. "I know," she whispered, reigning in her feelings before they lingered.

That was a truth that she had been avoiding since her plan fell into her sights. It was easy, _real_ easy, to just talk about flying, especially after Luna had cast such a valuable spell on her friends. But out of the six of them, only Fluttershy of all ponies had the most recent flying experience. Rainbow Dash hadn't flown in four years, and she was doubting that even the power of her Element could reverse four years of negligence.

"I don't have a choice, Applejack," she told her friend, still keeping her gaze forward and rushing up the steps two at a time. "Things are the way they are because I didn't stay. We could have stopped all this if I had only waited for the princess to come. The simple fact that I left you all behind gave Alucard the time he needed to prepare. I won't..._can't_ let that happen again."

"Ah know, it's just..." The blonde pony struggled to find the words she wanted, her attention divided as it was - the pain in her leg made the climb harder. "This plan of yours ain't exactly normal, even for you - and _especially_ for us," she added, flexing her magical orange wings in reflex. "Ah told you that Ah would try to keep you safe this time, because Ah couldn't last time...and, frankly, Ah don't see how that's possible, y'know?"

"We all made promises that we're not able to keep, A.J.," Rainbow said, leaping up the final four steps to reach the upper landing. "All we can do now is keep this one promise we have to the ponies stuck in that castle. They're all relying on us. On _me_."

"You don't owe them anythin', Rainbow."

The cyan pegasus finally looked her friend in the eye, and Applejack was rooted by the power in the gaze. Rainbow's eyes, magenta and solid and so full of life, were more sharp than any other time Applejack could remember seeing them. Her gaze spoke volumes - libraries, even - of what was contained within. The pain, the guilt, the shame, everything that Rainbow Dash was forced to bear over the years.

"You're wrong," she said. The words weren't harsh, or even cold, but Applejack flinched nonetheless. "No less than ten innocent lives have ended because of _my_ choices. Ten lives and four years, and everything is coming back to me and Alucard. He will take whatever he wants, so it's up to me to give back. Give back with whatever I have left to give."

"But..." Their friends had turned to see their exchange, sensing that the topic was important. Applejack didn't look at them, instead choosing to stare right back into Rainbow's eyes. "But...you said it yerself. You were gone for years, Rainbow - what can you possibly give them?"

Rainbow smiled a sad smile and turned away. "What was it you had said, back in the library? Something about destroying the root?"

The sentence halted any rebuttal the farm mare had, as well as those in the throats of the other ponies. Everyone knew exactly what she meant.

"Remember what Celestia asked me," she continued, walking toward the lip of the pillar. She walked with her head high, her legs tall, her mane full and long. She walked along the platform like it was the edge of the world, knowing full well that she could be diving into a nightmare. Despite the fear that she held, she did not show it.

For the first time in very, very long, Rainbow's mind was absolutely clear. She was Rainbow Dash, and many things scared her. But they would not stop her...she would not allow them.

She stopped at the edge of the platform, stretching her wings to their full span. Her chest inflated with a deep breath, soon contracting with a satisfying sigh. She closed her eyes, and finished. "Whatever it takes."

For an agonizing moment, her five friends stood still. They looked at her, then among themselves, not quite sure what to make of her statement. Inklings of concern began to seep into their minds, concern that threatened to shake their newfound unity.

In the distance, a blast of thunder sounded, like a wicked knell sounding in the air. Rainbow stood on the edge, waiting for her friends to join her. But after the moment passed, only one body was nearby - Applejack, of course, her face a mask of stern hope.

"That ain't good enough, Rainbow."

The pegasus cocked an eyebrow and turned to look at her. She said nothing, allowing her curious glance to respond for her.

"You shouldn't think for a minute that you should give everythin' to folks you've never met. We here needed to deal with a heap o' trouble, too," she said, her crystalline wings fluttering toward the ponies behind them. "If you think you owe all ya have to them Canterlot ponies, then great. In that case, I bet you owe _us_ a few things, just to be fair."

That captured Rainbow's intrigue. "Owe...you five?"

"That's right," the draft mare nodded. "We just now got you back, and ya think you can just go down swingin' and everythin' will be better? No, ma'am, that won't do at all. You still owe us four years worth of friendship, and we ain't gonna let you wiggle your way out of it that easily."

"What?" Rainbow asked, both surprised and a bit amused. "What are you saying?"

Applejack groaned. "Did that lightning back there knock a few screws loose, ponygirl? Ah'm sayin' we ain't gonna let you die here. No way in Equestria."

Those were the words that the rest of the mares wanted to voice. They nodded, smiling, finally walking toward their pegasus friend. Rainbow, meanwhile, was touched by the dedication in Applejack's voice, and the way Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Twilight all immediately agreed. She met the gazes of each of them, unable to hold back a warm smile.

'_This is what I left behind,'_ she realized. _'And this is what I can come back to.'_

She turned to face Applejack, lifting up her foreleg as she did, hoof-out. "Still haven't given up on me, have you?"

Applejack matched her smile and knocked her hoof against Rainbow's own. "Never."

The six Elements of Harmony glowed a little brighter.

Words ended between the six friends, but then no words were really needed. Their concern dispelled, they turned their attention to the edge of the platform, and then to the expanse of air below. Rainbow wordlessly guided them to their flight positions - a narrow V shape - with the cyan pegasus herself taking point.

This was the moment that Rainbow Dash feared the least, but still feared. She took two breaths to steady her nerves, and wondered why, now of all times, butterflies had taken flight in her stomach. Rainbow took a step forward, which was immediately mimicked by the friends at her flank. _'Now or never.'_

She jumped.

Time seemed to slow for her, giving her a moment to picture the days she had flown. As she began to fall, she saw the first time she had ever accomplished a Sonic Rainboom, during her filly days at flight camp. She remembered, warmly, how that incident had allowed her greatest friends their own cutie marks, and how it had marked the start of their interlaced lives.

Her fall gained speed, and an empty weight filled her gut. She saw the ground floor rushing to meet her, and she recalled how the merciless rocks of the hills had done the same, before the bonded magic had kept her alive. It was a strange feeling - back then, she had wanted to die, a desire brought on by guilt and panic. Now, knowing that she could die today, but for a purpose, she felt calm.

The freefall caused her mane to whip past her face, but she kept her wings folded at her side. She was rapidly running out of space, and knew she had to make her move soon. But one final memory emerged, one that was far more recent and a good deal more welcome. The memory, from only a day ago, fueled her determination further.

"_Do you still want to make things right? Get up, and move forward. Be better than me."_

Spitfire's face was still fresh in Rainbow's memory. She had always served as a role model, a beacon, a goal. The fiery pegasus had adopted the team's motto of reaching for the horizon, constantly striving for a more perfect standard. Now Rainbow Dash would strive for the same.

"_Be better than me."_

Rainbow Dash snapped her wings outward, and they instantly caught the air rushing past her. She tilted her feathers inward, and the speed of her fall allowed her to change course like a baseball being struck. In an instant, she turned upward, flapped her wings once, and began to climb. Her five friends, most with ethereal wings, all did the same with only slight hesitation.

Without time to think, she adjusted her vector and aimed for the center of the jagged hole on the wall. Barely a second later, she cleared it, and was out in the open skies of Canterlot. Behind her, still in the tight formation, her five friends all passed through the hole. None of them were showing any trouble with their wings.

Back in the headquarters building, Applejack's hat hit the ground floor with a soft _pat_, fallen off during their descent.

There was no rain in Alucard's storm, so the airspace was open. Rainbow Dash sped along, held aloft by stiff wings and the momentum of her jump. But she allowed herself the sight of the city, far below her altitude as she continued to climb higher.

Elation filled her being. She was finally back in the skies, a pegasus free in the air. Her wings began to flap by instinct rather than by will, and she revelled in the feeling of her feathers against her sides. The constant rushes of air that held her aloft were familiar, like the embrace of a mother.

She laughed, cheered, cried, did _something_, but she didn't notice, nor did she care. For that moment in time, nothing else existed - not the city, not the storm, not even her friends. Just Rainbow Dash in the air, where she belonged. That moment, her first flight in four years, was something that she was sure to cherish for the rest of her life.

"_Rainbow!_"

The moment of elation dissolved, and she glanced backward. Her five friends flew behind her, their formation shaken by the sudden direction change and the need to clear the opening. They slowly straightened themselves, once again solidifying into a recognizable V. The magical wings of the unicorns and earth ponies glowed, their existence empowered by the energy of their respective Elements.

None of this was noticed, because Twilight Sparkle was frantically pointing to a spot ahead of them. Rainbow turned her gaze, and immediately saw a gathering sac of magic. Thin white lines of lethal power met with the sac.

Rainbow twisted and dived, her team following her movements. A moment later, a streak of black lightning tore through the air where they had been. The sound of the air splitting rendered the mares deaf for a second, and their V line loosened once more.

"_No!_" Rainbow Dash screamed, hoping that they were paying attention. "_Stay together! It's our only shot!_"

A second bolt flew past her wing, another near-miss. It was obvious that Alucard had seen them emerging, and decided that six mares who had saved Equestria twice over was one thing he could do without. Whether or not he _knew_ it was them, earlier in the city streets, didn't matter. Back then, they were just targets - now, they posed a potential threat.

More bolts flew only seconds apart, each one steadily growing closer to the Bearers. Rainbow continued her dive, hoping to turn the speed into something that would break the sound barrier. But the magical lightning strikes were ruining her flight integrity. If she reached the correct speed at all, it would not be on this pass.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes to slits, fighting the wind that was urging her to blink. "_Up!_" she shouted. The word's force scratched her throat, but they worked. She angled her body, quickly coming out of the dive, and leveled herself with the tops of the Canterlot buildings. Palace spires and roofs of buildings whipped past them, soon struck by magic as Alucard's lightning chased them. With a twist of her body, Rainbow led her formation further into the city, using the empty buildings as cover. Behind them, the sounds of falling rubble followed, proof that her cover was working.

She tilted, rounded a corner, and was over the fuchsia shell of the palace barrier. Rainbow folded in her wings and dropped, feeling a streak of lightning speed overhead a heartbeat later. She landed on the magical barrier, which easily held her weight, and galloped as hard as she could, harder than the run in the city streets. The momentum she carried was impressive, aided in no small way by the jump from the platform. In only a few short seconds, the six mares crossed the span of the shield, and they again leapt into the air.

Inside the palace, the residents of Canterlot and Ponyville looked out windows and through skylights to see their heroines speed along. A resounding cheer of hope rose up against the crashes of thunder, and the barrier grew just a little stronger.

A moment later, a large, overpowered bolt of magic impacted the barrier dead-center, in defiance of the cheering within. The shield flared, glowed, then cooled, unbreached.

Rainbow was thankful - the time Alucard spent silencing the cheer was time she could use to gain more speed. She rose into the air, pumping her wings, knowing that her friends were doing the same. She looked over her shoulder, relieved to see the formation straight and solid.

As Rainbow flew, she imagined Spitfire's last words to her - _"I have faith in you, kid." - _repeating them in her head, making them a mantra. She bared her teeth.

'_Alright, phase four. Stay with me, girls.'_

Rainbow arched her back around, bringing her body perpendicular to the eclipse above, before she twisted, stuck out both forelegs, and dived almost straight down. The jagged edges of the mountainside sped past her peripherals. Her wings folded at her sides, and her mane was blown back and completely flat. Slipstream tugged at her, contacting her friends, who in turn made their own and allowed for greater speed of the whole unit of six. Slowly, Rainbow began to see the edges of the sound barrier, a white cone of vapor that she wanted to tear open.

Blasts of lightning streaked down, attempting and failing to contact her. She ignored them, focusing all her attention on the cone before her. It grew larger, more prominent, appearing as physical as a plain white sheet. She reached out, stretching every tendon in her body, desperate to grasp at it, knowing that she wasn't long before hitting the city. If that happened, then she had no chance of surviving, Element or no.

The V formation narrowed, the mares within trying to reduce the effort Rainbow was giving. The gee-force brought tears to their eyes, which were quickly claimed and carried off into the dark, dry afternoon. Their descent was rapid, far more rapid than any pegasus knew was safe. They dove from the sky, glowing Elements marking their position, absolutely certain that one of two outcomes was about to occur.

Then, finally, one did. An event that was talked about for generations that followed.

A brief period of silence overcame Rainbow, and then it shattered in an explosion of color. A ring of multiple colors emerged, the apex marked by the point where her forehooves pointed. Her speed increased as behind her, a brilliant spectrum of color sped outward, lighting up the skies of Canterlot.

But another, more incredible feat occurred at that same moment. Scattered behind the ring of multiple colors, five additional rings appeared, each a single, vibrant color. Purple, orange, pink, white, and yellow bursts all trailed behind the single circle, each of them expanding like their multi-colored example.

They had done it. A Sonic Rainboom, with five more following in harmony. The phenomenon would eventually become known as the Promised Day, and the sheer presence of it sent a wave of emotion across all who saw it. And there were many, many ponies who saw it.

Above the city, Alucard saw it, and spent a moment in shock and awe. Even he couldn't help but appreciate the strength of the blasts.

Within Canterlot Castle, the residents and refugees saw it, and all of them gave their loudest shout of hope yet. Spike, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle were the loudest of all.

Inside the palace throne room, two regal princesses saw it, and said silent prayers to the six mares who had done the impossible.

And at the edge of the Everfree Forest, two former celebrities saw it, and gasped in sheer appreciation. Both wore wide smiles, though for two different reasons.

Indescribable feelings coursed through Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. The formation they held sharply arced away from the city, heading directly for the eye in the storm clouds. In their wake, streaks of colors marked their trajectory, five of solid colors, one of many colors. At the front of those wake trails, the telltale glimmer of the Elements of Harmony was seen, tiny but brilliant lights against the darkness.

Before the wave of emotion fully passed by, Rainbow spotted activity ahead of her. Alucard, abandoning all pretense, began to forge yet another overpowered bolt of black lightning, this one far larger than any he had done before. The converging point of his magic was in the center of his storm's eye, effectively giving an iris to his eclipse. Wavering limbs of black magic came from all directions, pooling together in the center of the eclipse's gaze. White lines of power did the same, acting as veins to the magic, giving lifeblood to the attack.

Rainbow didn't waver. She narrowed her eyes once more, aiming for the heart of the converging magic. She could feel herself screaming, but she couldn't hear it...nor could she tell if it was out of fear, courage, rage, or simply because it felt necessary. The distance between her and the sac of lethal magic was closing rapidly, each moment allowing the converging power to grow larger.

With a blast of sound that was like a roar, the black lightning was released, giving off a flash of its own light and sparks of power. The arcing power raced to meet Rainbow head-on, and neither showed any signs of breaking off.

The six Bearers had time enough for one breath before the lightning reached them. Rainbow's pointed hooves contacted the exact tip of the bolt of lightning.

Silence reigned. Then the impossible, again, was done.

The power given to Rainbow from her Element of Loyalty, combined with those of the other Elements, then augmented further by her incredible speed, gave her the edge she needed. The bolt of lightning _split_ into numerous smaller streaks, each one firing off in random directions, none of which contacted the five other mares in the V formation. At the tip of Rainbow's hooves, a small curve of power separated her body from the magic. That curve, though she didn't know it, was the combined gift of the six Elements of Harmony, the same gift that had thwarted the Lord of Chaos, and the Queen of the Eternal Night before him.

It was no small wonder that the six Elements were accepted as the most powerful magic known to ponykind. And though Rainbow didn't know exactly what the small curve was, she knew the nature of it, and was grateful all the same.

The force of the lightning, however, had greatly slowed their climb into the clouds. Soon, instead of the pointed V formation, the six Bearers were in a single straight line, each of them meeting, and dispersing, the gargantuan bolt before them. The sheer force of the magic shook them all to the bone, and more than one of them was screaming in surprised desperation against the roar of the magic.

It had only been a few seconds. And it was only a few more before the black magic finally gave out, and faded from existence.

The screaming of the Bearers halted, only to be replaced by cries of surprise. Now without the force of the bolt to fight, the six of them found themselves tumbling upward, into the ring of exposed airspace. Their momentum carried them higher, clearing the altitude of the clouds around them. But without the steadiness of flying, they could only fall again.

They all rolled end over end, already trying to right themselves before they went beyond the apex of their height. Legs wildly reached for nothing, and wings flared and spasmed without cohesion. Without overcoming their surprise, there was no way to recover enough to reach the clouds.

Then, just as sudden, the clouds closed on themselves, sealing the eye of the storm. Rainbow and her friends fell and landed unceremoniously on the dark, billowy material, letting out a slew of _oofs_. Though far from any solid object, the clouds were enough to knock the wind out of the mares, and they lied for a moment in their stunned state.

Above the clouds, the gaze of the eclipse was now solely on the Bearers of Harmony. Below the clouds, the blasts of lightning halted, but rumbling thunder still echoed off the city. In the air, the shine of the six Rainbooms faded into the distance, once again leaving the city dark and silent. In the city, plumes of dust and loose debris fell and settled in the streets. Inside the palace, a tense atmosphere held the breaths of everypony.

Rainbow was the first to gather herself, propping herself on her forelegs and shaking away her dizziness. "Mmmph..." she breathed, feeling a sudden onset of a headache that speared through her temples. With one eye open, she scanned the area before her. It was like an empty plain, bereft of life, and completely dominated by the unblinking gaze of the eclipse.

The pegasus turned her head, and smiled in relief. Each of her friends had made it with her, shaken though they were. Oddly enough, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight were all holding their heads, as though they too were suffering a splitting headache. Pinkie was on her back, rolling over, blinking roughly to set her vision straight. Applejack, the toughest among them, was already trying to stand, but stumbled as her hurt leg folded under pressure.

They were all battered, but they were all there. The six of them...when there should have been seven.

Applejack looked up, spotted her friend, and grinned. The smile quickly froze, and the glint of satisfaction behind her eye shifted into confusion, and then panic. "Rainbow, look out!"

The cyan pegasus turned her head to look in front of her, but movement _below_ her caught her gaze. Near her body, the clouds were shifting and rotating - an area surrounding her was moving in a clockwise rotation, faster than she could register. An errant flicker of white magical lines occasionally revealed itself, quickly consumed by the rapid movements.

Rainbow came to the conclusion that she did _not_ want to be where she was, and struggled to her hooves. She pushed off the ground and spun, reaching out toward her friends. She didn't get the chance to reach them.

With a sharp _snap_, a dark wall of magic shot upwards from the cloud-floor, cutting Rainbow off from her friends. The wall was a deep blue, nearly black, with a multitude of dancing patterns flickering within. Her hoof contacted the magic, which was as solid as a cinderblock. It was electric to the touch.

She glanced up, seeing that the magic was closing into a dome, sealing off the air above her. Beneath her hooves, a layer of cloud had vanished, revealing a solid bottom to the dome. All around her, the white patterns danced within the magic, mocking her.

Nearby, Twilight gave an involuntary cry, and Rarity felt dread settle into her stomach. This magic was just like the one that had trapped, and nearly killed, Twilight.

With a brief hesitation, the five friends rose and rushed toward the magic, hammering at it in a vain attempt to break it. They cried out Rainbow's name, asking if they could hear her, desperate to know if she was alright.

Within the dome, Rainbow pushed her side against the magic, trying to force it away. She called out to them, only receiving her own echoes in answer. The darkness within the magic was heavy, and the glimmer of her shining Element was only a small comfort. Not to disprove the state of the world - _everywhere_ was dark, but _this_ was different. This darkness was a pressure on her, a leaden weight, threatening to suffocate her by its existence alone.

"Damn it!" she cried, slamming her whole body against the dome's side. "Applejack, are you there? Rarity, Twilight, anypony!"

As if in response, the polarity of the magic changed, going for a near-black tint to a ghostly blue-grey. Within, Rainbow saw them frantically banging on the dome, wondering how in Equestria they would help her. Outside, the five ponies could see the shape of Rainbow's body, but not her expression, neither could they hear her voice.

Rainbow's mind whirred, taking a moment to figure out exactly what in Tartarus was happening. Though it was like the magic that Rarity had described to her, she was still able to breathe freely. And the white lines were contained within the planes of the dome, not reaching out and stabbing her like they had done to Twilight.

'_This is different. Somepony doesn't want me dead,'_ she thought.

Her headache spiked, and a deep voice sounded, seemingly from everywhere at once. "Brilliant deduction, my dear."

From the outside of the dome, Applejack and her friends saw a blurry shape rise behind Rainbow. With the simple knowledge of who the shape must be, she banged harder.

Inside, Rainbow turned around, and felt a surge of fear chill her blood. There was another pony in there with her, one taller, darker, and a great deal more threatening. A dark stallion, standing inches taller than Celestia, dark coat and white mane rippling with untold power. The wings along his back were leathery, like a bat's wings, and his horn emitted a sharp light that chased away the darkness. His eyes, once red and piercing, were white and terrifying.

The dark stallion's horn flared, though barely. He grinned warmly. "Well, well..." he began. "This is a surprise. What would persuade miss Rainbow Dash to visit me at this hour?" A dry, mirthless chuckle bubbled up his throat, giving a sharp contrast to the silence within the magic.

In the span of a heartbeat, Rainbow's mind raced. She saw the dark stallion, instantly able to see that he was, indeed, the charming colt from her supposed dream. The magic he commanded had turned him into something nightmarish, something that she would have never imagined in a thousand years. And above all, she saw the result of his trickery, his lies and murders, what he had gained through his evil...the end to his means. Yet she still didn't know the _why_ behind the means.

Her heart pounded in her throat, but she forced herself to breathe slowly. She met his blank gaze, swallowed once, and spoke.

**End chapter fifteen**

Author's comments: *Throws arms into the air* Done! Christ, these few chapters are proving to be the most satisfying challenge I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. The effort put into them is placing my earlier works to shame, and all this based around a cartoon about colorful horses. _God_, I love writing.

Needless to say, this is the last major chapter before the climax of the plot finally comes to a head. I'll try all I can to get it out quickly, because I'm _just_ as eager to see the apex of this mystery as the rest of you. I'll see you on the other side!

P.S.: Anyone good at fixing things? I think I broke Cyros.

Co-author's comments: Uuuuuuuhhhhhh...

Next chapter: "Come, now, surely you must know why it had to be you. All you need to do is look at yourself, Rainbow Dash. Every part of you is unique, tempting the envy of your peers. Do you really need to know why I chose you? Hm...let me tell you."


	16. Harmony

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>A thrilling pony-tale from two harmonized minds!<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: Hi, I'm King Sombra. (No I'm not.) Yes I am, and I claim MLP in the name of me. (I'm lying, I'm not claiming MLP ownership.) Well, I should! (No I shouldn't, because Faust, Thiesson, and Hasbro already have those rights.) But...! (Shush, it's pony time.)

Let's get down to brass tacks. When we last left our lovely little ladies, they had broken through Alucard's magical lightning and managed to land on the upper side of his clouds. Their victory was short-lived, as a dark dome caged Rainbow Dash, cutting her off from her friends. As they all tried to break it, Alucard himself appeared before Rainbow, giving her a fresh dose of terror.

And here we are, the climax. I won't tell you anything here, so just head down and read on. Enjoy.

ACT III - _The Prestige_  
><strong>Chapter sixteen:<strong> Harmony

"Who are you?" she asked, a question that she held, but not close to heart.

She faced forward as she spoke, staring across the broken darkness of the magical dome. The tall, imposing stallion before her made a soft breathing noise, and the light that came from his horn receded by fractals.

"That's not the question," he began, "that plagues your mind. Why not ask what you _really_ want to ask?"

The stallion, a dark alicorn who was empowered with stolen magic, spoke as though his voice were everywhere at once. The vibrations in his voice shook her to the bone, though part of that was from the unadulterated fear that was pulsing in her nerves.

The two of them occupied a sealed space above the skies of Canterlot, where the sounds of the ponies outside were muffled and unintelligible. She, a sky-blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, wearing a glowing amulet with amazing potential. He, the alicorn who had assaulted the city below, so replete with magic that his eyes had gone white and blank. In that space, only they existed - even time seemed to halt.

It was early in the evening.

The sun was expected to set in a few hours. The stallion had ensured that it would not. His ill-gotten power had brought both Celestia's sun and Luna's moon to a converging point in the sky, forming a total eclipse that was wholly his own. The energy of that eclipse fueled his magic and his malice, forming the nightmarish stallion that Rainbow Dash now gazed upon. The white patterns that danced along his horn's corona matched those of the dome. The stark white of his eyes was a sharp contrast to that of his deeds.

The magic he commanded was sending waves of pain through her head, which seemed to spike with every syllable he spoke. She visibly winced, and spent a moment in silence as her fear was roused once more. He knew exactly why she hesitated, and decided to continue.

"I'm not keen on repeating myself, of course, but I don't mind playing along. But then, you probably knew that. Oh, who am I kidding, I _know_ you knew that."

He took two steps forward, the clacks of his hooves completely silent against the magic he commanded. As he neared Rainbow, the intensity of his blank gaze grew more intense, as did the force of the pounding on the other side of the dome. He did not blink. In that moment, only sight and sound mattered.

"I am Alucard. A stallion of no real significance."

"Liar." The utterance surprised Rainbow - the word came so naturally.

Alucard seemed amused. "Ha! Finally, somepony calls me out on it. Have you always had so sharp a tongue, my dear?"

Each second spent in the presence of that smile only fed her hatred of it, which in turn managed to give wind behind her courage. Speaking came easier now, though the ungodly headache still muddled her thoughts. "How do you know me?"

"Must I really keep repeating myself? You haven't _completely_ forgotten our first exchange, I'm sure."

It was the truth - he was sure.

"Word of your deeds has travelled far, Rainbow Dash. Even the land where I'm from, ponies know of the Elements of Harmony, and the pegasus who loves to be the center of attention. It was not hard to find you."

Rainbow shook her head, shifting her longer mane back and forth. "That's not-"

Her headache spiked. "Answering your question?" Alucard interrupted with a flash of his horn.

"Hng...get _out_ of my head!" she growled behind her teeth.

His smile grew - now, he really _was_ amused. "Now why would I do something like that? But you're right...I didn't answer your question. Not what you were really asking, anyway."

The light of his horn dimmed, but didn't dissipate. "I admit one thing - you were much more entertaining to watch than the other fools you kept around you. It took some time before I was able to see the true nature of magic here in Equestria, and all the virtues of the ponies who call this place home. I had to take my time, or else my plan would have toppled before it even took flight."

Slowly, he began to turn his gaze away, instead focusing on the blurry images of her five friends so desperately trying to break his spell. "But how do I know you? You could say it's through your friends. After all, you were more true to them than you were to yourself...but only at the worst of times. It's part of what made my ultimate goal all the more alluring."

With his gaze off her, Rainbow's headache faded a bit at a time, until it remained as a dull presence in her thoughts. "Fine," she said, her rising anger barely audible in her tone. "Let's talk about you. Where are you from?"

Alucard clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "That's not what you _really_ want to ask. Besides, I'm not much for reminiscing."

'_Mmmph, not that easy I guess,'_ she thought. Alucard, his magic in her thoughts, only chuckled. "Forget it, then. Tell me why you're attacking Equestria."

"Why not? Every king needs a country," he replied.

"But you _have_ a country!"

"You assume. I never said I have a country, only that I hail from one."

"Then..." _'Gah, he's arrogant!'_ "Then why Equestria? Why do you want to rule us?"

For a moment, Alucard didn't speak, but merely gazed at the muddled forms of her friends. The ferocity of their shouts lessened, as though they _knew_ his sights were on them. Several seconds passed in silence, where the only movement was that of his magic and his wavering mane and tail.

"Actually, Equestria is not the land I wish to rule."

Rainbow Dash was genuinely stunned, and her features revealed so. "Wh-_what_?!"

Alucard spent a moment in a fit of restrained laughter. "I don't desire it...you're all just being used to prove my strength! I don't care about ruling Equestria - it's a worthless home to even more unworthy ponies!"

His head snapped around, and the glare of his horn's light blinded her. At the same moment, the pressure behind her eyes increased exponentially, sending white-hot pain through her senses. She cried out, fell onto her stomach, and held her head as though it were about to break open and release a torrent of hellspawn. Outside the magical dome, her five friends did the same, feeling every stroke of torturous agony that came with it. They each cried aloud and fell upon the dark clouds.

"My destiny," he declared, standing over Rainbow's prone form with a manic smile on his lips, "lies beyond your pathetic home. The only thing your land is to me is an annoyance, something that I intend to make an example of! All the world will see the smoldering ruins of Equestria, and they will know their king's power! The world _will_ know my power, and nopony - not even my proclaimed rulers - will stand against me!"

Spittle from his mouth flew across Rainbow's body, and she didn't see the underlying images of pure, undeterred hatred behind his decree. Alucard's words were like blades, spearing through her body and bringing renewed agony to her system. She cried out in physical pain, remaining conscious only through desperate will.

Seconds, which felt like full-length days, passed by. Alucard growled in his throat, reigning in his revealed hatred for ponies that Rainbow did not know. He stood straighter, and his telepathy finally receded to lesser extremes. The agonizing pain in the Bearers also receded, replaced only with a heightened panic.

"Equestria is merely an example," he said, his words like grinding bones. "A pawn in a grander game."

Rainbow coughed, her throat once again dry. "You're a psycho."

"And _you_ have your answer," he replied, once again adopting his trademark sadistic grin. "Now, ask me another question. This is wonderful practice for when I'm a king holding open court!"

She coughed again, certain that some part of her throat should be bleeding. "The eclipse..."

"Grand, isn't it?" he murmured, almost as if smitten by the maleficence of his design.

"Why did you attack the princesses? Did you just want their magic?"

"More than that - you're all examples, don't forget," Alucard said. "Taking their celestial spells was, of course, needed for my seizing of Equestria. What better way to learn than by the experience of others? As a plus, I was able to humiliate both of them..."

The alicorn paused, smirked, and forced his magic into Rainbow's thoughts, again causing her headache to spike. He flitted through her recent memory, seeing all of the events of the last few hours as though he were there himself. Rainbow Dash groaned aloud, baring her teeth in hatred of his magic.

"And I see I'll need to do more than just humiliate," he added. "Luna looked so assured, didn't she? Perhaps her other wing will drill a more _permanent_ message into her mind."

Rainbow kept her mounting fury in check, knowing that he wanted nothing more than to provoke her. But there was something she had to say. "Luna is ten times the alicorn you'll ever be."

Alucard broke out in unrestrained laughter, filling the dome with his voice. "Is that what you think? Your precious princess only saw a _tenth_ of my ability."

"Then why did you wait so long?" Rainbow asked, finally sensing her fury replacing her fear. "If you were always so strong, why didn't you just strike at her while I was gone?"

He sighed, annoyed. "You keep skirting outside the question you _want_ to ask. If I explain why I waited now, you won't understand."

"Try me."

"Don't goad me, girl. I _know_ you won't understand, so stop stalling and _ask me_," he growled, venom spewing from his tone.

Rainbow spat. "I thought you would be more patient than this."

Alucard was genuinely impressed. The pegasus before him wasn't so weak as he remembered, if the way she was standing up to him was any indication. His magic flared once more, and he looked into her being, curious to see why.

He flitted through her thoughts, her emotions, her morals and regrets, everything about her. He saw her views of her suicide attempts, the self-loathing she had harbored for four years, the fear of his magic and what it could do, and the deep-rooted sorrow of her idol. Above all, however, he saw how angry she was, and how focused she had become in her mission to stop him.

Simply put, she was fed up with him. He raised an eyebrow, unseen beneath the magic around his body.

Rainbow Dash forced herself to ignore the pain in her head, and spoke as clearly as she could. "Why did you need me?"

"_There_ it is," he breathed. "That's the great mystery."

He didn't answer immediately, instead choosing to walk around her in silence. She stared back at him, her anger and annoyance steadily overcoming her paralyzing fear. When he moved in front of her, he turned and faced away, looking out to where his eclipse gazed down upon them all.

On the other side of the magical dome, Twilight Sparkle was saying something, relaying information. Every word went unheard, hopelessly muffled. Alucard intended for his answers to remain private for a while longer.

He sighed. "Luna is wiser than her sister, isn't she? 'Loyalty to their lives,' indeed."

Rainbow Dash said nothing.

"I suppose she is right about that. If you're dedicated to a pony, or to the life of the pony, you can remain loyal. But still, I didn't expect _her_ to come up with that solution, especially after I worked so carefully to remove you from the equation."

Alucard finally turned around, and reduced his output of magic. For once, he didn't want to see all of Rainbow's thoughts.

"Tell me this," he said. "What does Loyalty require that the other Elements do not?"

Rainbow mentally ran through each virtue and their strengths. Honesty, always standing for the truth, refusing to accept anything less. Kindness, a gentle spirit who does not wish harm. Laughter, seeking the brightest side of all things through joy. Generosity, making the world brighter through giving of itself. Loyalty, a fierce dedication to morals and what they can do. And Magic, the bonding tie that connected them all.

But what did Loyalty need that the others didn't? Rainbow was quiet as she thought.

"Consider the needs of the other five," Alucard hinted. "Magic, for instance, is praised as the most powerful and elusive Element of Harmony...and all it needs is a Bearer as talented as magic itself. Generosity only requires a single pony with a giving nature. Kindness, a pure heart; Laughter, an innocent soul. Even Honesty only needs one pony to seek the truth from the lies."

He paused to stare at her, his blank eyes wide. "But look at Loyalty. Look at _you_."

"What about me?"

Alucard scoffed. "You don't yet see it? Come, now, surely you must know why it had to be you. All you need to do is look at yourself, Rainbow Dash. Every part of you is unique, tempting the envy of your peers. Do you really need to know why I chose you?"

For a moment, the alicorn was silent. Rainbow Dash spent that moment looking over her body, taking note of her tone. The wings, legs, stomach, muscle, and her very spirit, which had been recovered through the gift of Harmony only a short while ago. There were differences, of course, like the length of her mane and the trauma behind her eyes.

And the question still hung in the still air. "Yes," she replied.

"Hm..." Alucard gave a light grin, stepping forward until he was only a foot away and looking down at her. "Let me tell you. Loyalty is unique among the six Elements because of what it needs. In fact, it's unique _because_ it needs. Each of the other five virtues use only one Bearer to see them made, as long as that Bearer's soul emulates that one virtue."

Alucard began walking around her, his body barely brushing against hers. The sensation of his magic so near caused her coat to stand on-end.

"Magic only needs a talented pony - even I could wield it if I adopted the virtues of Harmony. Generosity only needs one pony's giving nature, and Kindness and Laughter only need pure souls who don't wish harm. Honesty is tricky, but once you find the perfect Bearer, the rest is foal's play."

He leaned in close, whispering into her ear. "Loyalty is different."

Rainbow jumped away, shaking her head. His words felt hot on her pelt, like he had poured poison into her ear. Her wings sprang outward on instinct, and she quelled an animalistic desire to bite him.

"Different?" she asked after a moment.

"In a singular, unique way," Alucard added, lifting his head up again. "Loyalty cannot exist with only one pony to be its Bearer. In order for the virtue of loyal dedication to exist, there must be others."

Rainbow rubbed a hoof in the shell of her ear, hoping to remove the feeling of poison. "Others...what? There's only one Element of Loyalty, and only one pony needs to hold it."

Alucard was quiet for a second, then he gave a single chuckle. "Heh. Still so naïve - I don't mean it needs multiple souls to _embody_ Loyalty. There need to be several ponies involved with the Bearer in order for Loyalty to exist in the world, ponies that the _one_ Bearer can be loyal to. Because if you were loyal only to yourself, you would just be selfish. You cannot be the guardian of that piece of Harmony if you do not have others with you. Loved ones, friends, rulers, role models - it doesn't matter. If you do not have them, then you cannot possibly be loyal."

It made sense, and she hated to admit it. Among the six Elements, Loyalty was the only one that needed other ponies around the one Bearer in order to exist. All of the others could be a part of the world with just their respective Bearer.

"So that's why you singled me out? Instead of targeting something more powerful, like Magic?"

"That's right," he praised. "Though you should give yourself more credit, my dear. Loyalty, Honesty, and any of the others can have just as much power as Magic. But any of them can easily be replaced by one new pony to accept the virtue. Loyalty is unique because it needs others to be practiced, so when you left, everything fell apart."

Rainbow's mind began running faster, connecting dots and reaching new ones. "Why did you need to bind your magic to me in the first place, then? Why not just kill me and strike sooner?"

"You're starting to sound like Luna," Alucard deadpanned. "Binding my magic to you was a precaution, we'll say. Through the methods of binding, unraveling, and recovering magic, a pony is able to take the essence of the host and claim it as his own."

"Essence?" she echoed. "So you just wanted more power."

"That's only a fraction of the reason. By imbibing your soul with my magic, I was able to absorb the traits of the Element's power. The longer you were bound, the more I could claim as my own. When the time came to take back what was mine, I also took the power of the Element of Loyalty into my own being."

The pegasus' mind halted. There were two problems with that explanation. "How was that possible? I was nowhere near the Element when I was infected with that magic," she said, glancing down at her glowing necklace nervously.

Alucard snorted. "Just how naïve _are_ you? The Elements are only a channel, an augment. It's the _spirits_ of Harmony that bring about the power. Loyalty is a part of _you_, Rainbow Dash - the Element of Loyalty only amplifies what's already there."

"Then how were you able to absorb the power of the Element when I wasn't home?" she demanded.

To her dismay, he was ready. "I believe your precious princess explained that one in flowing detail."

'_Sacrifice,'_ she remembered. "So why did you need it, anyway? If you're so powerful on your own."

The stallion smirked, catching on without the need for his telepathy. "I'm no fool, as you have already learned. I knew that attacking Equestria and her leaders would incite their wrath, and Celestia is nothing if not predictable. Not that she had a chance, anyway." He paused, sending a wave of power through his horn - the energy released a burst of soft light that briefly illuminated the dome. "I knew she would call upon the power of the Elements as her weapon, so what better defense than using the power to _my_ benefit?

"Oh, it wasn't pleasant, let me tell you," he went on, suddenly reminiscent. "When I reclaimed the power I had placed in you, the energy of your spirit _burned_ me. I already knew that would happen - it's common with foreign souls in a body - but yours was more challenging than most. Of course, it was also more rewarding as a result."

Rainbow caught on to a detail, and tried to follow it. "So you've bound to other ponies before?"

"Hah!" he started, and suddenly his reminiscent attitude was gone. "We're not discussing _me_, don't forget. We're discussing you."

The cyan pegasus grimaced - he hadn't risen to the bait. Alucard had given her a wealth of knowledge, but still she was not satisfied. Nothing he had said gave her any real weapon she could use against him. But if he would not answer questions about himself, what else could she ask?

'_We're discussing me? But...' _She blinked. _'He said role models...'_

"If you wanted me," she began, "then what about Spitfire?"

"Oh, her?" Alucard muttered. His smile didn't grow, but somehow it seemed more jubilant. "Such a tragic story she's starring. A life taken away in an instant, and everything believed to be true is based on idealism and lies. Is it true she's fallen from grace, as you were?"

His horn glowed with magic once more, and Rainbow felt a lance of pain skewer her temples. Alucard dived into her memories, gazing upon the events from the day before.

"My, my," he breathed, "she's even worse off than you were, isn't she? Refusing to rise again, despite having such gifts from the Sun Princess. That's such a nice home!"

"_You stay away from her, you demon!_"

Alucard, genuinely surprised, halted his magic and turned to look at Rainbow Dash. The mare had shifted, bringing her head down and baring her teeth. Her eyes were focused in what could only be described as rage, and her wings were flapping on instinct, ready to propel her forward at a moment's notice.

Rainbow had never been so angry in her life, and never before had it felt so right.

"What's this?" Alucard asked. "Spitfire doesn't need you to defend her. As I saw, she didn't want anything to do with you at all. You've done enough, I would guess - and I don't have to _guess_. Why are you so worked up?"

"Answer _my_ question, first," she demanded. Her voice was a fierce growl, primal and dominant in the closed-off space. "Why her?"

The dark alicorn was silent at first, studying the mare before him. Even with his unmatched magic and power in telepathy, this was something he was not expecting. The Wonderbolts were dead and gone, and while they had certainly been an influence on Rainbow Dash, it was not that influence that had spurred him into action so long ago.

The Wonderbolts were no longer a part of Rainbow Dash, but they obviously meant something to her. Still...the team, and their ruined leader, held no significance to him. So he decided there was no point in keeping this truth hidden away.

"The truth is," he began, "they were just in the wrong company."

Rainbow said nothing, instead choosing to glare at him with her rage-filled eyes.

"I had intended on killing off a few ponies no matter what, using the magic I had linked to you. It was all a question of the best time and place - I would have gone after any poor soul who was too close to you. When I finally found the correct time, and saw the place you were in...well, it all fit perfectly.

"I never needed to kill _them_ specifically. You just happened to be with them when I chose to make my move. I would have rathered your little friends out there," he added, gesturing toward the outside of the dome, "but we can't have everything."

He paused, looking skyward, where his eclipse still gazed upon the five Bearers trying to undo his cage magic. "Or, perhaps, _most_ of us can't." He smiled maliciously.

In that instant, when she saw the barest hint of his smile, Rainbow moved. She leapt forward, pumping as much air behind her wings as she could. She let out a cry of anger that showed just how beyond scared she was.

Rainbow moved like lightning - but then, Alucard was the quicker flash before the strike.

With only centimeters to spare, the alicorn swept his devilish wings in front of him, stepping onto his hind legs in the same instant. He dipped to one side, feeding all of his momentum into his wings, resulting in a powerful strike to Rainbow's abdomen. Her movement halted in midair, suspended by the edge of his wings.

But he did not simply stop there. Following through with his movement, Alucard recovered his balance and pushed forward. He flexed his outstretched wings, pulling them back to his sides, but in their place he shoved outward with a foreleg. He caught and held Rainbow against her chest, pinning her against the inner wall of his darkened dome.

Rainbow cried out in shock and pain, struggling in reflex to free one of her wings, which had been caught at a bad angle between her body and the dome. It came loose, and both wings helplessly flapped against the magic in a vain attempt to dislodge herself from the alicorn's hold. She glared down at him, their faces inches from each other, both mouths twisted into varying magnitudes of hate.

"You ignorant, cretinous little _hatchling_!" Alucard growled, pushing into Rainbow's torso and limiting her breathing. "Spitfire and her little circus group mean _nothing_ to you and I! You think you can redeem her way of life through a mere show of force? You think I hold any regret for taking away the lives of those pegasi? You're wrong, Loyalty, you are _very_ wrong!"

A hot wetness suddenly splattered along Alucard's muzzle. Rainbow had spit on him.

"I don't care how wrong I may be," she wheezed, struggling for breath against his hold. "It doesn't matter what you've done or what you plan on doing. I've heard enough - you're a monster, a murdering psychopath who _gets off_ on the suffering of others, and I won't let you do anything else!"

Slowly, Alucard curled one of his wings forward and wiped a majority of the spit off his face. His wing was twitching, a telltale sign of just how enraged he was at the defiling action.

Rainbow continued to talk, difficult though it was. "You're pathetic. You hide in the shadows, stealing the energy of ponies who aren't even aware you exist, and when you finally move, you take innocent lives away! Spitfire did nothing to you, and now she's left in her despair, a ghost of what she used to be! Celestia and Luna look out for their country, but you injure them and steal their magic for yourself! Even ponies who have _nothing_ to do with this are killed by you, because you like it! And this whole _plan_ for Equestria...making it an example..."

She trailed off, finally unable to speak, unable to breathe deeply enough for it. Alucard continued to press his weight against her, moving his foreleg to the base of her throat. The burn mark, where his bound magic had tried to attack her, was covered. His white eyes, despite lacking pupils or irises, seemed to glimmer with a seething rage.

"You claim you've heard enough," he spoke, his voice ironically steady and collected. "You'll live long enough to hear one more thing."

With a grunt, he lifted his other foreleg off the ground, pressing it against the dome's interior for balance. He pushed himself farther upward, standing tall on both hindlegs, while at the same moment pushing Rainbow's struggling body along the dome as well. She rose another few feet, and the shift in gravity put even more pressure on her neck. She began to violently cough, unable to replenish the oxygen in her body.

"You _cannot_ win, Loyalty. I have envisioned every step of my plan for your nation, carefully mapping out each movement and reaction. A segment of your Element's power resides in me, giving me protection from these weapons you wear like trophies. Your sun and moon are under my influence, and their power feeds my own. You will not be receiving any help from the city below - you are Celestia's last resort, and everypony knows it.

"My destiny lies elsewhere, but you will _not_ stop me from my efforts here. Every move by you and those you know has already been accounted for, and the only thing I did not foresee was you recovering your spirit and challenging me in this foalish manner. That is something I intend to amend.

"So go ahead, just like the last time we met," he whispered, layering his voice with a malicious undertone. "Make a wish, Loyalty. Let me see it, and _I_ will choose how it comes true."

He tapped into his telepathy, desiring to give her as much torment as possible. When his horn became awash in electric-black power, he trained it totally on her mind. The invasive magic sent white-hot flashes searing across her senses, mentally burning her. Alucard tasted victory, and he smirked.

In that moment, with her newfound strength failing her, Rainbow Dash reflected on all that she had learned. Her attempts at besting Alucard had failed, and she was scared of what her failure could mean to the rest of Equestria. Even with the power of Loyalty in her, it wasn't enough to overcome the adversity that the dark alicorn posed. His movements were planned ahead of time, and he had used her as a pawn in his demented game of chess. Alucard was a grandmaster, and he had proved that twice over.

However, it was true that there was one thing he had not been expecting - her return. After working in such detail to remove Loyalty as a factor, he had been inwardly surprised to see it rise in the burst of a Sonic Rainboom. He still knew that Loyalty was unique to the virtues in Harmony, so it was just a matter of removing it once more. This time, permanently.

In all of their discussion, one thing stood out in Rainbow's mind like a beacon: Alucard had admitted to being wrong. And she wanted so desperately to prove him wrong again, to show him that even a pawn could corner a king.

Just not alone.

Summoning every ounce of strength in her, Rainbow Dash focused on a single thought, knowing full well that Alucard would read it. She strained one eye open, looking at his triumphant smile.

'_Have you ever had friends, Alucard?'_

The smile faltered, and Rainbow knew she had him.

In that moment, as if by instinct, the glow of her Element intensified to a sharp, brilliant shine. Five more shines emerged at the same time, each one set in a different spot surrounding the outside of the sealed dome. Where the light was shining through, strands of violet magic breached the dome and began to counteract it. This magic, augmented with the power of Harmony, quickly cut through the dark spell like a razor. It moved quickly, like an eel through water, spiraling upward along the dome and spreading its own power along the surface.

Alucard looked around in shock, unable to piece together what was happening. As he tried to find the truth of his rapidly changing situation, his magical dome finally fell away, and he was without support for his weight. With only a moment of hesitation and a restrained gasp, he jumped forward and landed on all fours several yards away.

Rainbow, meanwhile, had managed to push herself away with a powerful pump of her wings. She fell away from him, gasping for air, feeling her strength return with every breath. She landed on her rump atop the dark clouds, coughing and wheezing and very, very grateful.

During their conversation, her friends had been woefully left out. It had taken them a long while to give up on trying to physically shatter the dome. By the time they had felt Alucard's mind-piercing rage, they had come up with a different approach. It involved supposition, faith, and instinct - the short definition of Rainbow Dash herself.

Twilight Sparkle had spent the next several minutes magically studying the energy of the dome, prying her own power across the surface. To her fortune, the thieving lines of white were contained within the shell of the dome, so she was able to feel the energy used without fear of being interrupted. All the same, she did not waste time - Rainbow was in serious danger, and every heartbeat separated from her friends could be her last.

Then, finally, she saw a way to mimic the spell. Not to steal and copy it as Alucard would have done, but to match the energy of the spell and dismantle it, like a counter-agent. With her raw ability, the magnifying power of the Element of Magic, and the bonds she shared with the four ponies also kept outside, she was able to do just that in the span of a few seconds.

Rainbow Dash was eternally grateful that, after four agonizing years, she was no longer alone. Her friends had saved her.

Alucard, who had cleared the area and landed a few yards away, looked back at the scene. The Bearer of Magic was calling back her power, and he noticed how her own eyes had gone white like Luna's would do. It seemed that she hadn't let her fear of his magic stop her, if she was releasing so much of it at once.

Twilight called back the last of her power, and the glow of the six Elements faded to a less extreme shine. The six friends regrouped, with Rainbow Dash at their center, who slowly recovered and rose to her hooves. She rubbed the base of her throat tenderly, over the burn mark that ringed her neck. Despite her inner fear and the adrenaline running through her system, she looked calm and determined.

The six of them, all colorful mares with defined tastes, looked across the empty space toward Alucard, who in turn gazed back. As the five newer sets of eyes finally saw Alucard for the first time, they each betrayed their shock. After a few seconds, that shock shifted, and they adopted the determination that Rainbow was showing. Soon that determination was coupled with the same calm, as well.

Alucard was the first to speak. "Clever girl. It looks like you proved your loyalty once again, and your precious friends have proven theirs."

After a brief hesitation, Rainbow tilted her head to one side. "It's like you said," she began, her voice weakened from the choking. "Without others, there can be no Loyalty."

"And your faith in your friends is that strong?"

Her only response was taking a single step backward. Not out of fear, but to take her place with her five friends more solidly, a silent declaration of the faith Alucard questioned.

"Alucard," Twilight Sparkle began, acting on authoritative instinct, "we're here to make you answer for crimes against Equestria and the two princesses. Call off your magic and return control of the sun and moon to their rightful masters!"

Alucard stood taller, indignant. He had noticed the subtle wavering in Magic's voice, a telling hint of her own restrained fear. "You have no authority over me, little mage. You can't hope to invade my presence and then make demands of me."

"Do it!" Twilight called, the fear in her voice a little more prominent. "Or else you'll have to answer to the magic of the Equestrian people!"

He snorted. "And _you_, young one, will have to answer to the magic I command. Think carefully," he added, spreading his wings to their full span. "You've seen what I am capable of doing. You've seen what I have already done. And now you six are the only ones in my sights. Do you really wish to stand against me?"

No answer was needed. The six friends all took stances, staring directly at him. Twilight and Rarity lowered their heads and tapped their magic, sending rippling coronas along the lengths of their horns. Applejack and Pinkie rapped at the clouds beneath them with their forehooves, though Applejack was more reserved due to her hurt leg. For the four of them, the glow of their unnatural wings was solid, and they stood rigid in preparation for movement. Fluttershy was noticeably more reluctant, her fear evident as she hovered above them, despite the confidence she held while in Rainbow's company.

Rainbow Dash herself became unreadable, standing tall and defiant like a cliff against an ocean. Her silence was her response, and the presence of her glare seemed to speak for all six of them at once. Their positions and their closeness to each other exuded how they felt: they all knew they _had_ to challenge this evil to their world, even if there was lingering fear of the unknown. They knew that this was going to be their greatest challenge yet, and they would not be given any grace or quarter.

Alucard waited a moment further, equal parts impressed and curious. He knew he could easily blast them all out of the sky, or overpower them with a concentrated burst. But where was the fun in that?

He gave a low laugh, tapping into his own magic. The area around them seemed to grow _darker_ as a result.

"Very well," he called. "I'll grant your wish, just this once."

The alicorn waited three heartbeats before he sprang into action. Leaping forward with a powerful yell, he dived toward the group of six, forcing them to scatter. Four of them took to the air, one leapt backward, and the last one weaved to one side. Never content to leave actions simple, he exuded magic when his hooves touched down, spreading it outward in a nova of power. It spread out on all sides as a dark ring.

The attack caught one pony, Pinkie Pie, in her side, forcing her away with a violent shove. Before she fell, however, Fluttershy swooped down and helped her rise. Applejack, the mare who had jumped backward, took a running leap and cleared the nova with inches to spare, and kept running toward Alucard.

With his grin unfaltering, Alucard unleashed a second attack, this one as a spherical burst that completely covered any angle of assault. He timed it so when Applejack lashed out at him, she only met the expanding sphere of magic, which then met her strength with some of his own. The point of contact, her two forehooves against the magic, rippled with white lines.

A split second passed before his force overtook hers, and the resulting reaction was enough to blast her backwards. Her joints popped violent as they were forced into their sockets, and she was thrown uncontrollably, rolling to a stop several yards away. She struggled to rise, but Fluttershy was at her side a moment later.

The entire exchange had taken only a few short seconds. Rainbow flew above, choosing to take the time to gauge her enemy as best she could. The sight of her friends in pain, however, erased that notion from her mind. She pulled her hind legs up and dived, closing the distance to him only a few seconds further.

Alucard twitched and spun, extending his enhanced wing as an extra arm, and caught Rainbow Dash bodily in what would translate as a backward strike. He pushed her away as easily as the two ponies before, and Rainbow tumbled into the clouds. Alucard used his momentum to gracefully jump back a step...straight into the lines of sight of Twilight and Rarity, both of whom had been gathering their own magic for an attack.

The two unicorns let loose with their gathered power, aiming down at him. Their combined magic merged into a wide energy wave. The distance was too close, and Alucard had no chance of raising any shield spell in time.

But as the attack neared him, they learned he didn't need to. Rather than call upon a new spell, Alucard had expanded the magic that was surrounding his horn. At the point of impact from the twofold magic, he released his own, and a torrent of white lines surrounded the attack, stopping it cold. It was exactly like what he had done to Princess Luna's attack magic.

"No!" Rarity yelped. She had been hoping to catch him off-guard.

The power of his magic dominated the attack, and dismantled it in a show of color. The entire mass of energy rotated and dissipated with a gust of temporal winds. As the final strands of magic faded away, Alucard was standing defiantly, calling upon more magic to wield. He was eyeing Twilight Sparkle with a sadistic hunger, obviously enjoying the display he had given them all.

"We have unfinished business, you and I," he said, pouring more ominous power into his horn.

Never breaking eye contact with Twilight, his magic spun and detached from his horn, forming a bulbous black orb. Streaks of white lines shot out from his horn and merged with it, giving life and size to the orb. When he finally released it, the magic began to move with a will of its own, and hovered forward meticulously as though selecting a target.

A chill of fear ran up the unicorn's spine as she recognized the spell. Without a doubt, it was exactly the same as what she had read in the _Unknowable Divines_ text - the same as what had nearly claimed her life seven days ago. Her throat went dry, and she ceased flapping her supernatural wings in her state of fear.

Alucard's blank eyes blinked once, and his empowered orb sped forward to meet the unicorn. Before it contacted her, however, Rainbow Dash was there, ramming it full-force. It shifted away from her fearful friend, tackled like a physical thing.

Twilight's fear gave way to shock at the display. Seeing her rainbow-maned friend protect her in that fashion spawned question about how it was possible. But after a moment, when the magical orb began to latch onto Rainbow instead, she broke out of her stupor and rushed to help. Her horn glowed brightly with lavender magic. And she wasn't alone.

Rainbow's coat started burning at every point that the orb touched - she might as well have dived into a pile of hot coal. She flapped her wings and violently shook herself, but the magic was insistent, holding on with a fierce suction. It crawled along her pelt as the magic that was bound to her had done, though with a terrifying speed. The pegasus felt a flight of panic once more.

'_No!'_ she mentally screamed. _'No, not this! Not again!'_

Then, salvation, again at the hooves of her friends. Blasts of colored magic struck the orb and caused it to cave, while at her back she felt two sets of forehooves grasp and pull her. With the combined effort of her friends, the orb was blasted away, but not destroyed. The last strands of the dark magic released her, and the sensation of being burned immediately began to dissipate.

Rainbow stepped backward and looked around her. Pinkie and Fluttershy were at her sides, having just pulled her away. Rarity and Twilight were moving ahead of her, bombarding the orb with spells fueled with surprising vengeance. It was clear by looking at them that they were angry at how their last encounter with this spell had gone, and were now doing everything they could to win. The power they commanded was intimidating.

Applejack was not among them. Rainbow turned her head to see where the draft pony was.

The orange mare, upon seeing her best friend about to be claimed by dark magic again, flew into a frenzy. She had broadsided Alucard, throwing him off balance, and was lunging and kicking at him with surprising speed. The alicorn, his size working against him, was just barely staying beyond reach.

As Rainbow watched the display, a loud scream of ethereal rage sounded behind her, and a blast of temporal wind blew in her direction. Twilight and Rarity had completely destroyed the orb.

Alucard, sensing the defeat of his spell, took to the air and spent a moment to gaze upon the unicorns. Shock was evident on his face - he hadn't been expecting the defeat so quickly. Just how much magic did the pair wield? Perhaps there was a deeper reason Celestia had chosen the Bearer of Magic as her personal understudy.

A howl of anger rose to meet him, and he looked down to see Honesty, Loyalty, and Generosity flying up to attack. He turned and dipped low, gaining speed before twisting upward parallel to the cloud layer. Behind him, the three mares flew with a precision focus, matching - and soon overtaking - his velocity. In front of him, he called upon more magic, reaching out to the clouds below them.

The bellies of the clouds grumbled, and their surfaces began to heat. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy looked to their hooves, all of them spotting telltale lines of white zipping beneath them. After a second, the lines came to specific points and began to gather power in themselves. They were tiny circles, and they blinked faster as the seconds passed. There were hundreds of them.

Instinct took hold. "_Move!_" Twilight screamed, spreading her supernatural wings. Her two friends matched her movement, and they all pumped their wings as hard as they could.

A split second after they rose, streaks of black lightning emerged and fired _upward_, spearing the sky and heating the air. They wrote jagged lines in their paths, forming terrible cages for the instant they existed. The three friends moved furiously, barely escaping the reach of the lethal branches. Fluttershy took one to the middle of her tail, but that was as far as the damage went.

But they just kept coming. As one bolt faded, another point of power would converge, letting loose a new bolt within seconds. The power held in each bolt fed pure, feral panic into each pony, and the heat generated from them gave even more confusion to the chaos. As each rapid heartbeat came and went, their struggle lost cohesion, and the nightmarish magic came ever closer to their targets.

Finally, Twilight's instinct gave way to sense. She expanded her own magic, spreading a clear forcefield that surrounded Pinkie and Fluttershy as well. Now forming a larger target, the lightning struck the field several times - but never made it through. A brief surge of relief coursed through Twilight, after which she focused herself and looked ahead, ignoring the several dozens of impacts made against her shield.

Further along, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack were forced to break off their pursuit due to the same dark lightning. Without anypony chasing him, Alucard had turned and was directing his magic at them, breaking apart their cohesion as he had done to Twilight's. His horn radiated with malicious power, giving direction to the legion of attacks at his command.

Rainbow Dash would have sworn she saw that same damnable smile on his lips. She ducked and weaved, barely evading the jagged streaks that longed to strike her. Her friends were faring no better - Rarity was close to screaming as her fear grew, and Applejack was just as near to screaming, though out of anger.

After a moment, a new feeling passed over Rainbow. A clear sphere of shield magic had formed around her, preventing any of the lightning from reaching her. She looked over her shoulder and spotted Twilight coming her way, with the rest of her friends in tow, all of them within their own shield. With a fervent nod from the unicorn, Rainbow doubled-back and flew toward the closest of her friends, Rarity. The forcefield granted to Rainbow followed her without any hesitation.

Rarity had seen the lifeline, and flew toward Rainbow at the same moment. She entered the forcefield, breathing heavily. She was still close to screaming, but now it was more likely to be out of jubilation. She and Rainbow took off together, reaching Applejack only a few seconds later. Since the orange mare hadn't seen the pair approaching, Rainbow had physically tackled her and brought her along.

"What the-?" she started, looking around her. The streaks of lightning continued to strike the shield, but gained no access to the lives within. She looked up at Rainbow, realized her boon, and pushed off to fly next to her.

Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie joined them, and the two shields merged into one. The friends regrouped, then took off as a unit and began to close the distance to Alucard.

However, the alicorn had another trick in his arsenal. Focusing his magic, her centralized the inverted blasts of lightning, forming them to intercept the group. Instead of hundreds of streaks, only a few more powerful ones emerged. With the area narrowed, the force behind the lightning caused them to sway, even though the shield didn't fail. It wasn't long before they were forced to dodge aside, and that was what he wanted.

Rainbow looked down at the clouds as the streaks of lightning suddenly cut off. The trademark lines of white were scurrying along the surface of the cloud, meeting at a point ahead of them. But instead of multiple points, the lines were converging into one massive area, gathering power.

'_Just like the bolt after I made the Sonic Rainboom!'_ she realized.

The six friends flew as fast as they could, hoping to overcome the spot of gathering magic before it unleashed. But it wasn't to be - the attack was released long before they got near Alucard. A deafening roar sounded as a monstrous bolt fired upward, directly at them.

There was no time to dodge, so they didn't. Instead, Twilight shouted that they all touch down and brace themselves - the words were just out of her mouth before the attack connected their shield. The power behind the lightning forced them to the clouds, where they huddled together as they had done in the Wonderbolts building.

They only sources of light were the six shining Elements, which intensified as Twilight poured all she could into her magic. The roar of the lightning drowned out everything else. They held on to each other, hoping to outlast the attack.

Alucard, chuckling, gently touched down and watched. The view of the six Bearers was completely obscured by the flowing lightning, and the cracks of opposing magic rent the air as sharp as any thunder. His attack was seamless and unending, forcing them to defend. Their defense, he knew, was not infinite - it would only be a matter of seconds before their barrier split and his power surged over _them_ instead.

"Wish granted," he said.

With his self-satisfied smile, the dark alicorn began trotting forward, even as his lightning continued to fire endlessly. He briefly considered the best way to display their bodies to the ponies of Canterlot, entertaining thoughts of their limp forms falling like stones from the heavens he now ruled.

But as he thought, a glimmer of light shot forward from the trapped mares. Though it struck Alucard below his neck, it barely amounted to anything more than a slight twinge. It wasn't even an attack. The beam of light was narrow, and it flickered as his attack magic passed through it.

'_Ah,'_ he realized. _'This must be their last-ditch effort to defy me. This is an attempt to communicate!'_

Alucard leaned in, amused despite himself. "What do you want to say, Rainbow Dash?" he called, unheard beneath the tumultuous chaos.

Within the brunt of two magics, Rainbow _said_ nothing. She roared.

In that instant, the beam of narrow light that shone on Alucard winked out, his magical assault was dismantled from the inside, and a harsh wave of spectral power expanded from the trapped mares. Waves of vibrant colors seemed to explode from their spot, pushing back the lightning. At the same time, swirling ribbons of violet and azure magic tore through the attack, disabling it like his earlier barrier had been. Resounding cracks of opposing magic sounded all around them, and for that brief instant, the sky was alight with a faint glow.

That instant ended with a blunt, fierce strike against Alucard, square where the beam of light had shone. He yelped in true surprise, feeling himself moving backward. Then upward. Then further away, pushed to the atmosphere by what appeared to be a glowing white orb of pure, magnificent power.

Rainbow Dash's roar of unadulterated rage had not stopped, and that sound was all Alucard heard as he was pushed across the sky against his will. The abject speed of their attack had pinned his wings and legs, and such shock ran through his mind that he couldn't register a counterattack. Everything about this wasn't supposed to happen. It's wasn't _possible_.

He tuned out his surprise and instead acted on instinct, wedging his foreleg between the brilliant orb and his body. With a howl of pain as the orb burned his coat, he pushed off, tumbling aside for a moment before his wings caught air. He sighted the orb as it, too, turned away.

And then it broke into six. Six shining motes of light, shaped into the bodies of the Bearers, speeding faster than he had seen any normal pony fly. Six beacons of power, a power he didn't understand or foresee - and one of them had turned around to face him again. He reacted, firing off a lance of lightning from his horn.

The smaller orb of light deftly dodged the attack. As it neared him, he heard Rainbow's cry grow louder and louder. It was then that he realized what had happened: the six Bearers had enacted their gifts from the Elements, as they had done in the Canterlot airspace. But this time, they took the gifts in themselves, enhancing their abilities beyond what he had anticipated. They had _become_ Harmony.

"That's not possible!" he finally cried.

The pegasus-shaped sixth light slammed into him once more, forcing any further cries of defiance down his throat. The points of contact against his coat once again burned him, and he wrestled for dominance against the force. It was a doomed attempt, however - Rainbow Dash, the light that attacked him, was forcing him to the clouds, and together, they slammed into them as solidly as a stone street.

Their bodies sent out tendrils of dark cloud, and the shock of the landing finally halted Rainbow's howl of anger. Her body's shine cut off as well, and she shook her head to clear her senses. Her eyes snapped down, taking stock of her enemy.

Alucard was stunned, lying on his back beneath her, coughing dryly as oxygen clawed its way down his throat. She had her hind legs on either side of his torso, and forehooves pressed dangerously close to his neck. She could have killed him with her body-slam had she gripped him a little higher. That fact made her part disappointed and part relieved.

Satisfied, she looked around. Her five friends had all landed in a circle surrounding her, and they too had returned to normal. But their Elements, likes hers, were resonating with power. The shine from the artifacts grew to a breaking point, yet the mares were not concerned. Quite the contrary - they were focused. Harnessing it.

A few precious seconds passed before Rainbow's five friends shifted their focus. Through some unspoken order, they all chose to give the magic of their respective Element to her. One by one, arcs of unfiltered light sped from Magic, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Kindness, reaching and empowering Loyalty. The power coursed through Rainbow Dash, and she kicked off from Alucard's prone form, flying directly above him. Against the sight of the eclipse, she was a brilliant star.

As she gained height, she called down."This is for all you've done, you monster! For me, my friends, Spitfire, Luna, and all of Ponyville and Canterlot! I swore I would stop you, _and now I WILL!_"

Rainbow Dash's body once again began to glow, overcome with the combined power of all six Elements. She brought her legs to her body and her wings to her sides, and let gravity push her down. Her scream of rage, of dedication, of pure defiance for Alucard, was as loud as thunder.

She hit him with the full force of her body, releasing every ounce of power she held. The resulting output sent a magical blast of rainbow-colored light in all directions, once again lighting up the sky. The Bearers of Harmony were forced to shield their eyes. Temporal winds blew out from the impact, buffeting the mares who had just barely braced themselves in time. Even Rainbow Dash was sent careening aside after her strike was made, and she landed in a heap a few yards away. Her body had returned to its natural color, while every ounce of Harmony's power had transferred to, and was working against, Alucard.

The alicorn's cry of pain rang out as the gift of Harmony permeated him. His world became consumed with the sensation of being burned, both from within and without. Never before had such magic felt so wrong to him. It swallowed him whole _and_ invaded his very being, assailing him in ways he could not have possibly imagined.

The reaction of the magic lasted for several seconds. Slowly, the wind ceased and the light died away, returning the sky to the eclipse-held darkness. It was even longer before the six friends felt safe enough to try moving, each of them blinking the brilliant shine out of their retinas.

Rainbow Dash collected herself, steadily rising to a sitting position. She gently shook her head, relieved that the spearing ache in her temples had completely disappeared. Groaning, she looked up, her first sight that of her friends slowly recovering as well. Each pair of magical wings was strong and bright, an indication of how well her friends had endured.

A gentle smile was creeping on her lips, confident that she had done what she had sworn to do. She turned her head, expecting to see a veil of smoke or a petrified alicorn, just as the last two times she had used the Elements to save the world.

What she saw, however, froze that smile where it stood. What she saw, there on the clouds, stole any thought from her. Because what she saw was unlike anything she was expecting.

Alucard's body was changing before her eyes. Rippling matter like oil rose up from him, gently waving in a non-existent breeze. The familiar patterns of white lines traveled in all directions, yet at the same time were _without_ direction, running rampant within the confines of the oily mass. Every few seconds, a stray jolt of magical lightning would fire off, which barely amounted to more than a static discharge. The entire thing gave off a soft drone, like a waterfall at the wrong end of a cave.

At the bottom of that mass lay a shuddering body. An alicorn, as expected, but not in the same way. The body was white, and the wings feathered. The stallion was hyperventilating, his eyes clenched shut. He was grimacing in absolute pain, barely able to roll onto his stomach. All over his form, the oily mass glowed, a sickening black in direct contrast to his white pelt. It gripped and wrapped around his forelegs and lower body. When Rainbow looked closer, she saw that the dark matter was steadily spreading across his body, the hold on him growing bit by bit as the seconds crawled by.

The sight stole any kind of reaction from her. She stood transfixed.

Her friends, having seen the same thing, began to cry out in pure confusion. "What in the world _is_ that?" Rarity's shrill voice sounded. "I-I don't..."

The alicorn continued to violently tremble, caught in the throes of some unseen torment. He curled inwardly, making himself smaller, as though trying to hide from the world itself. Each breath taken was wracked with the sound of choking. His entire form was a disturbing sight.

Slowly, Applejack and Fluttershy made their way to him. The pair was extremely cautious, remembering the crimes that the stallion had done. As they reached him, the pegasus tried to communicate.

"H-hello?"

Immediately, his eyes snapped open, causing the timid pony to jump back in shock. His eyes were visible, no longer veiled by a magical fallout. They were narrow dots of terror, absolute pain, and confusion, to which Rainbow Dash immediately related. The life behind them was dull, weathered, like they had just been roused from an eternal nightmare. But the most important detail was their color. They were not red eyes.

The sight of the eyes, blue and frightened, sparked a whirlwind of wonder in Rainbow Dash. She started to think silently. As she did, the stallion began to control his breathing, and uttered a single word.

"_Help._"

The utterance broke the remaining ponies out of their stupor. They clamored to Rainbow Dash, discussing among themselves what in creation had just happened. Every word, however, was lost to the mare - they sounded far off, as though from another city, or another world.

"I don't understand!" Twilight shouted, mostly to herself. "That black stuff...I don't know what it is! There's no reason for it..."

Pinkie was talking right alongside her. "Look at him now! He's hurt, in a lot of pain! What's happened to..."

"Nothin' like _this_ has happened before!" The words of Applejack were strong, yet still sounded far away.

"We need to...what is going on?" Rarity was losing herself to the strain.

Last of all, Fluttershy was just as lost as her friends. "It's like a complete swap of the pony we fought..."

As they talked over each other, Rainbow's gaze remained fixed on the stallion. He, meanwhile, continued to plead for aid. "Help...please...! Help me..."

Something about Alucard, or this new pony who had taken the place of Alucard, kept Rainbow silent. But through her, she slowly began to connect dots.

'_A different-colored coat...and obvious pain? But when he was screaming, like...wait, he had said that using the Elements wouldn't work, but then how did this happen? What the hell is that black _stuff_ coming off him? It looks like...looks like...'_

Then, deep in her mind, she realized the truth. A truth that hit her so hard, she forced herself to sit down. Suddenly, everything made sense, and unbidden memories played in her mind as a way of proving that truth.

The night they first met. _"I'm not from this area – if I told you where, you'd never believe me..."_

His offer to improve her skill. _"Regardless, I think we _both_ can benefit from this little magic trick..."_

The evening in the care center. _Along her left side, a growing spot of black and blue was shining. Telltale patterns danced across the surface..._

The years spent in hiding. _The magic was not settling into Rainbow's system - it was assimilating it._

Luna drawing the magic out of her. _The last of the magic finally drifted away, taking residence in the oily mass before her._

Celestia revealing her delay. _"...I hesitated, because he asked me if I was prepared to kill an innocent."_

Alucard recalling his scheme. _"...yours was more challenging than most. Of course, it was also more rewarding..."_

And Rainbow trying to gain leverage against him._ "So you've bound to other ponies before?"_

The revelation sent her mind reeling. "N...no..." she whispered.

Applejack turned to her friend, desperate for answers. "Rainbow?"

The cyan pegasus found her voice, despite the revelation that shook every belief she held. "I get it."

"Get _what_?" Applejack demanded. Their other friends turned and went quiet, just as desperate for answers.

"Alucard was right," she muttered. "We can't beat him. We've never been able to."

"What do you mean?!"

"The perfect defense. He had the perfect-"

"_RAINBOW!_"

The shout finally got her attention, but she continued to talk. "It makes sense now! We've never had a chance of beating him, _because he's never been here_."

Twilight chimed in, unable to share the realization. "What are you talking about? He's right _there!_" She pointed an accusing hoof at the white stallion to illustrate her argument.

"That's not him, Twilight. It's never been him. Just a _part_ of him!"

"W-what? He..."

"That's not Alucard!" Rainbow declared, standing and pointing. "Only a piece of him! Just a piece! _It's bound magic!_"

All six friends stared at the disturbing sight, studying every detail of the oily substance and terrified alicorn. They were not silent - some choked half-words of denial would sprout before the truth dawned on them, too. Soon, Twilight spoke again, finally wrapping her head around the development.

"He's...not here? You mean that's a segment of his soul that's bound to somepony _else_? But that, that..."

"That's not possible!" Rarity shouted after her.

Rainbow's gaze moved, taking in the sight of the ethereal matter. "Think of what he told Celestia. 'Kill an innocent.' He's been using another pony's body to move and act this whole time!"

Twilight was having the most trouble believing. "But how can...how much of himself did he bind? I've never seen magical output like that!"

"It has to be a lot more magic than what I had," Rainbow Dash explained. "More than just raw magic. There has to be some of _him_ bound, too - his soul, like you said. It's the only way."

"Enough to impart his consciousness? Impossible!"

"The magic bound to me forced me to evade some rocks when I tried to fall off a cliff. My actions were _forced _to keep me alive. If he bound even more power to another, then he would have even more control," she explained.

"No," Twilight muttered, shaking her head. "No, no, this can't be! This defies every law of magic and nature I know!"

But a memory within Twilight silenced her own argument. Luna had told her the same thing about binding magic, and the risks they posed to the caster. Yet here she stood, united against an alicorn who had done that very thing. Bound his magic to an innocent pony, using his very soul as material.

"It's...unnatural." she breathed, finally beginning to accept the truth.

Ahead of them, the rippling magic shifted. Tendrils of power snapped down and enveloped the white alicorn in segments. Parts of his upper torso disappeared beneath the power, as did the rest of his forelegs. He frantically tried to push off the invading magic, groaning aloud in his panic.

"Who is _he_, then?" Rarity demanded. She stared at the unfortunate alicorn, distrusting him on principle. "Just some unlucky passerby? Or did he strike a deal with Alucard, like you had?"

Pinkie shared her gaze. "He looks familiar."

Rainbow Dash focused on the alicorn's face, who in turn was swiping his hooves over the oily mass that attempted to reclaim him. Pinkie was right - there were features about him that stood out beyond the obvious, stirring her memory even further. He looked like an older colt she had seen in her younger days. Yet she knew immediately that he wasn't somepony she knew - he was an alicorn, and the only alicorns she dealt with were the princesses. _This_ stallion seemed from a dream.

"Dream," Rainbow muttered. "I saw him before I first met Alucard...the night with the band!"

"Oh my gosh, that's it!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "He was with the band when they came to town! The guy with the guitar that you could _feel_ when he played it!"

The cyan pegasus nodded, understanding. "This is the missing band member!"

The proclaimed truth settled over the six friends, each of them trying and failing to mentally disprove what they had just heard. As a few precious seconds passed by, they all came to accept it.

"Then that means..." Twilight surmised, "...this pony here is just some guy? Just an innocent alicorn?"

The stallion in question looked at the six mares near him, begging for their aid once more. "What's going on?" he rasped. "This stuff burns! Help me, please!" As he spoke, the dark mass that was actually Alucard claimed more of his body, recovering what was lost.

Applejack's tail twitched. "We're wastin' time. How should we deal with him?"

"I-I don't know," Rainbow Dash replied. The revelation had struck her hard.

Her friend turned to face her, her eyes alight with desperation. "We gotta do somethin', Rainbow Dash! You said you were willin' to do whatever it took to make things right!"

With a violent shake of her head, the pegasus countered. "That was when we were fighting Alucard! I won't kill some innocent stallion who has nothing to do with this!"

"But," Rarity cut in, suspicious, "how can we be _sure _he has nothing to do with this? Perhaps he chose this path."

Rainbow shook her head again. "There is no way that he possibly chose _this_, Rarity."

"How can you be certain?"

"Just look at him," she said with another wave of her hoof. "Is he any different than me when you found me in the cave?"

The alabaster unicorn looked between the two, and her defiance halted in her throat. "Y-you're right...he's behaving just the same as you..."

'_The same as me,'_ Rainbow Dash thought. The words gave her an idea. Better, they gave her a solution. She turned and looked squarely at Rarity, then to Twilight, gauging the glow of their worn Element artifacts. The group was quiet for a moment. Then she turned to look at the struggling stallion and took a few steps toward him.

"Hey!" she called. The alicorn looked up through fearful eyes. "Listen to me! We're gonna help you, okay? We're gonna make everything right, but we need your help too!"

Behind her, Rainbow's friends exchanged glances.

"You need to resist him!" she shouted, pointing toward the sickening mass of darkness. "Fight him as hard as you can! Take back your body, reject him, kick him out!"

Before the white alicorn could reply, more of Alucard's power snapped down and claimed his forelegs, sending fresh feelings of heat through him. He cried out in pain, then to Rainbow. "Hurry!"

The pegasus nodded and turned back to her friends. They all stared at her, waiting for an explanation.

She was speaking before her hooves stopped moving. "You're right, Rarity. He's behaving just like I had. So we need to save him just like Luna saved me. Twilight, I'm gonna need you at your best."

"Wait, me?" Twilight asked.

"We need to drag out the magic from this other stallion. Unbind it all."

The unicorn gawked. "You want to unravel the bound magic like Luna did in Ponyville?"

"Exactly. It's our only choice."

Twilight's calm strained to the breaking point. "I can't do that! Only Luna was able to unravel the magic that was bound to you! I...I never even knew it was possible until she brought it up!"

"This is our last option!" Rainbow shouted, more confident than anxious. "Our Elements will never be enough to beat him, he's made sure of that. But he can't possibly prevent himself being removed from a host's body! We can do what Luna did, and drag him out!"

Rarity nodded. "I understand. Without using a body, Alucard's stolen magic will fade away. The eclipse will end and the princesses can regain control of the sun and moon!"

Applejack spoke her observation. "This storm o' his will break up, too, and he won't be able to send down any more lightning to Canterlot."

"Everypony will be saved!" Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie said in unison.

"All this," Rainbow concluded, "without having to kill an innocent pony. This is our last hope!"

The alicorn gave out a howl of pain. He trembled violently as the magic bound to him began to claim his body in earnest. Strands of sickly black swung down and latched to him like the limbs of some hellish spider, pulling down the mass of power.

A second later, the bulk of the magic made contact with the stallion, spreading over him. His howl became muffled grunts as he mentally battled the intruder, determined to assert himself through sheer will alone. He closed his eyes, hiding the terrified blue. When he opened them again, there were traces of steely red.

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash urged.

Twilight Sparkle took a breath through her nostrils, nodding slightly, then once more with more conviction. "I'll do everything I can!"

That moment was instantly speared by a cry of exertion from behind them. A thin wave of power passed over them, sending their coats standing on-end. They each turned and looked at the source.

Alucard has successfully reclaimed the stallion's body, but was clearly in distress. He was struggling to rise, heaving ragged breaths through clenched teeth. His mane no longer flowed with power, and was streaked with both white and black colors. His wings had fully changed again, from feathers to membranes - but they, like his mane, were marred by angling white streaks. Most importantly, the colors of his eyes were shifting from red to blue. All clear indicators that Rainbow's order was being heeded.

"_Be silent!_" Alucard shouted to himself. The words afforded him precious little more control over his host. His eyes instantly held their red hue, though the rest of him remained in the throes of change.

Rainbow Dash took a step forward. "Alucard!" she shouted. He flicked his gaze toward her, glaring acidly. "We know what you are, now! We know everything! Give up now, and-"

"Just shut up!" he retorted. Spittle and traces of foam flew out of his mouth. "You know nothing! You _have_ nothing! I will not suffer you and your friends thinking you're above me!"

Rainbow Dash tried again. "You can't win! We know what you really are, and we're going to stop you!" Her words were so filled with resolve, they drove more conviction into the remaining five Bearers behind her.

However, Alucard was beyond reason. And his rage was so absolute, he screamed above her. "_You! Know! Nothing!_ If you are so certain you know my power, then witness it yourself!"

With a great flash, Alucard drew his magic inward, collecting energy at an alarming rate. His eyes flashed white with power, and dancing jolts of magic began to pool at the tip of his horn. But before he could attack, he lurched forward with a violent heave, his spell breaking and his eyes screwing shut.

"No," he growled, violently shaking his head. He seemed to be in a battle over his own actions.

Twilight felt the energy in the air shift. "That must be him!" she said. "The other alicorn! He's fighting against Alucard, breaking his concentration!"

Rainbow gave a stern nod. "He's giving us openings. Let's not pass this up!"

As a unit, all six friends leapt forward and flew directly at Alucard. He saw them coming and took to the air, gathering his magic. He twisted and spun his wing in a wide arc, sending a wave of power outward - but while he had meant it to be a solid wall of shield magic, it was merely a veil that stopped nothing.

His _own_ head began to ache from the other stallion's attempts to gain control. Fury took him, and he shouted incoherently to himself. He was no longer in control over the body and mind, and the interference caused by the white alicorn was enough to cut off much of his raw ability. He cradled his head and flew blind for a moment, incapable of calming himself.

The Bearers of Harmony seized their chance. The two unicorns in the group fired off attack spells, catching him along his side. Applejack bore down on him as she had done before, grabbing one of his wings and weighing him down. The remaining three flew close, but did not make a move for fear of getting in the way.

Alucard roared, wresting control just long enough to gather his power. The darkness of his coat rippled and surged, protecting him from the projectiles of Twilight and Rarity. At the same time, white lines of telepathy magic shocked Applejack violently, forcing her grip to fail. She slid off and caught air on her magical wings, but had her back turned to the alicorn, who took his chance.

He spun and dove, catching her beneath his chest and wrapping his forelegs around her. She screamed as the magic within his coat burned her again, but managed to twist around and gain some purchase against him. She lashed out with tooth and hoof, flailing and striking at every inch of him she could reach. A lucky blow caused his grip to falter, and she started to spin away.

"You will be still!" he shouted, shoving her flank and spinning in the opposite direction. She spun in midair for a moment before he struck again, this time with a fierce kick. He bucked hard, catching her left foreleg just above the knee with a brutal force, multiplied by their opposing directions. A fracture was immediate.

Applejack shrieked, knocked away by the force of the hit. She fell like a brick to the cloud layer blow, landing hard on her side among a plume of billowy fog. She fought against unconsciousness through willpower alone, unable to tear her gaze away from the sight. Her foreleg at the knee was bent in the wrong direction, and a shard of bone was jostled out of alignment, forming a bulge beneath her coat. Incredible pain radiated from the area, leaving her with nothing else to feel. She cried out in agony.

Alucard sensed his opening, and angled down to deliver a finishing blow - but Rainbow Dash was there, intercepting him like an enraged bull, much how she had done earlier. She crashed into his body, forcing him away from her prone friend. She, too, cried out in agony, but it was laced with blind rage.

Rarity and Fluttershy touched down and rushed to their injured friend's aid. "Applejack!" they called.

Applejack, with great effort, turned her gaze away from her immobilized arm to look upon the fight. She knew how lucky she was that Rainbow Dash had so quickly risen to her defense. But with a broken foreleg, she would be of little use.

She shook off the hooves of her friends. "Go!" she commanded weakly. "Help her! Finish this while we still can!"

Rarity and Fluttershy exchanged worried glances, but heeded the words after a heartbeat. Applejack remained on her side, fighting the pain and the overwhelming urge to close her eyes.

In the air, Alucard pushed away from Rainbow Dash with a wild blast of lightning. He spun mid-air and exuded telepathy magic, intent on breaking their focus. The ponies immediately felt a wave of unbearable heat spear through their temples.

But the Bearers of Harmony did not stop. In fact, the sight of Applejack injured seemed to spur them on, giving them strength to overcome his attack. The five remaining mares flew up and approached him from different angles, their glowing Elements leaving white wake trails.

Alucard, seeing the five motes of light approaching, drew in his wings and dived. Four of the ponies overshot him, passing through the spot where he was only a moment ago - but the fifth one, Rainbow Dash, spiraled downward and matched his angle. She flew hard, overtaking his speed.

With a grunt, the black alicorn changed directions again, cutting her off before she could reach him. He rotated face-up and gathered his magic, aiming a lance of lightning directly at her heart. For the first time since his secret was discovered, his magic fired off with proper power. Rainbow barely dodged the attack, her wing tips mere inches from the energy.

But something happened then that Alucard did not intend. A sudden blunt force struck him from below, at his back, stopping his flight cold. He spun around with a wing extended, but met nothing - whoever had struck him had deftly evaded him. And as he spun around, a second blow caught him in the side, sending him reeling.

The mares had abandoned magical assault and were instead trying to overpower him physically. He wouldn't stand for it. As he saw one of the Bearers approach for a third strike, he tapped into his ill-gotten magic and expanded an aura of shield energy. But it, as before, was tainted with the consciousness of the other stallion. It, as before, did nothing to stop the five friends.

So he exuded a second wave, rotating and diving to the cloud layer as he did so. The additional shell of magic finally kept the Bearers as a distance, but they all pushed against his shield. Adding a third spell, he imbued the shield protecting him with white lines of telepathy magic. The jagged patterns shot out and stabbed at the five friends as they all went down to the cloud layer.

The barrier contacted the clouds below, and he landed on all fours within his shell. Alucard continued to imbibe the shield spell with his natural magic, pumping as much energy as he could. Within his protection, he glared at the five mares. His hatred of them all was palpable.

Rainbow bashed a hoof against the surface of the barrier, earning a sharp sting in reward. She swore aloud before turning her head. "Twilight!" she called.

The lavender unicorn narrowed her eyes and expanded her magic as well, knowing what was needed without being told. A narrow line of violet power shot from her horn and struck the shield magic, beginning to spread across the surface. It was immediately met with intrusive lines of white, which followed the energy back to the source. In no time at all, the telepathy attacked her horn itself. Great flashes of white-hot agony began to course across Twilight's vision as the magic invaded her. She broke away on instinct, cradling her head and crying out in pain.

With her magic broken, the lines of white that had attacked her vanished along with her spell. But the pain lingered. She groaned and shook her head, trying to banish the torment. A second later, she felt the presence of her friends at her sides.

"We're with you," came Rainbow's voice next to her ear. "We're here for you, just as you all were there for me. Don't give up, Twilight! Don't break away!"

The words spurred action in the unicorn, who gathered her courage and magic once more. She fired off her magic again, this time forming a wider beam of power. As before, it contacted and spread across the surface of the barrier, and as before, it was instantly met with white dancing patterns. It took even less time for the telepathy to attack her senses. Tears sprang to her eyes as her system was directly assaulted. It was an entirely new kind of torture than what she had suffered in Ponyville.

'_My friends are with me,'_ she thought. That fact gave her strength, even as her scream pierced the sky. _'Rainbow Dash is back with us. She needs my help. I can help her. I need to help her!'_

With the warmth of four other bodies pressing against her, Twilight opened her eyes and looked at the contact point of her magic. Sparks of lavender power flew in reaction to the barrier, and the beam she had created was infested with the horrible patterns. She mentally pushed against the invading agony, and her magic expanded a little further.

Alucard gave a demented growl, pushing his own willpower in response. The shield spell darkened to a nightmarish hue. But the extra protection came with a cost. As he focused his magic, he gave up a little control over his body, and the reds of his eyes became jagged with shards of blue.

A heartbeat later, he flinched. A severe sense of nausea overcame him, and he fought the urge to retch. The magic of his barrier held, affording him the protection he needed. However, he realized too late that the patterns of his telepathy had completely disappeared.

Sounds of toil rent the space above him. He looked up at the point of contact between Twilight's magic and his own, grimacing as a ball of white light began to form. He could feel the essence of harmony emanating from the light.

Twilight gave a great cry of exertion. The searing pain of telepathy had vacated her mind, leaving her own magic unhindered. She threw her forelegs forward, and heard her friends match her shout with their own. As she pushed outward with her body, so too did she with her magic, slicing through the barrier as she had done the last one.

The magical reaction was quick - web-thin strands of lavender power cut across the shield in star patterns. As each pattern connected, segments of the shield shattered into innumerable pieces. The ethereal shards were cast into every direction, passing through the bodies of everypony nearby. Stagnant chills were felt instead of cuts. However, the shards that connected with the clouds tore through them, leaving jagged holes in their wake.

The small white light expanded and burned the stallion's retinas, striking him with a force as physical as any shove. He fell backward with a cry of shock, sliding along the clouds for a few feet. As quickly as the light had flared, it faded from existence, but still he grunted with the sensation of blindness. A moment passed before the darkness of his coat began to ripple and shift like liquid. Alucard's hold was weakened.

Seizing the chance, Rainbow Dash and her remaining friends flew down and landed around the prone body. The sensation of their landing caused Alucard's eyes to snap open. He looked up at the surrounding Bearers of Harmony, his eyes far more blue than red.

Rainbow jumped forward and landed over him, placing each of her hooves around his body. She caught his gaze, and looked deep into it. Within the eyes, she clearly saw the internal battle for dominion, as well as fear that would never have been present in Alucard.

She knew that fear well. It was fear of the unknown, a fear in which she had been lost for four years. She knew on instinct that the pony below her was the innocent who Alucard had controlled for several years. For this brief moment, his control was broken, and the opportunity was fleeting.

"Sorry," she told him. "This is gonna hurt."

Without waiting for a response, she turned her head and gave a shout. "Twilight! Now!" A heartbeat passed before a violet light shone to her side, drawing the alicorn's gaze. The light was blinding, yet he couldn't shut his eyes - the sheer brilliance of it seemed to overtake his instincts, accepting the luminous presence and whatever it brought along.

Twilight Sparkle braced herself and concentrated, pushing out with every last ounce of strength she possessed. She repeated the fact that her friends were with her, giving her strength and courage. The overwhelming sense of dedication that was Rainbow Dash drove her power forward. She didn't know what would happen. What she _did_ know was that to hesitate now would mean disaster.

To her sides, the Elements of Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, and Kindness all glowed with exponential light. Their power added to Magic's own. Soon after, a final glow from Honesty appeared from behind them. Applejack was straining her neck and uninjured foreleg to try and be with her friends, grimacing as incredible pain from her bones lanced through her.

The combined might of all the Elements working together allowed Twilight's tiara to multiply her natural power even further. Her senses sharpened beyond what she had thought possible. She opened her eyes, the power of Magic overtaking them and causing them to go white. Twilight stared directly at the alicorn...and then through him, passing beyond the sight of physical bodies and mental walls. Her sight passed through an unnerving tunnel of color, impossible to describe beyond terrible beauty. Time seemed to stand still, and yet it surged forward. She felt out of breath, yet knew she was breathing.

As the sensations assailed her, the wild thought of a pony's soul being a realm unto itself crossed her mind. The thought left her as she came upon a fantastic sight. Before her was an impossibly large sphere, rotating slowly in an unseen current. Both a radiant white glow and an abyssal darkness made up the sphere, and the entire thing hummed with incredible presence. While rays of the white's glow shone across the expanse, the black areas seemed to ripple and shift. Beyond the sphere were ghostly images of mountain ranges, unfamiliar to Twilight.

She hesitated, awestruck by the sight. Twilight Sparkle was beholding the very soul of a pony for the first time, and it was far more impressive than anything she could have imagined. Even the fact that part of it was Alucard's soul did not deter her appreciation of its sheer scale. But the unfamiliarity of it was undeniable - she didn't know _what_ to do, now that she was seeing this wonderful horror. Luna had been the one to handle the magnitude of this magic, but Twilight had only watched. The first signs of panic began to shake the edges of her psyche.

The sphere seemed to sense her intrusion, and a low growl began to reverberate across the expanse. The sound stifled her senses, and it took all her willpower to not back out the way she had come. A shade began to spread from the dark areas of the sphere, like a night approaching far too quickly. Then jagged lines of white, in the familiar patterns she feared, began to form at the edges of the expanse. They did not approach her, but instead kept to the edges of her sight, like they were mocking her in their dance.

She cast her vision around as her panic grew. Trapped in a dark area, surrounded on all sides by the terrifying lines - just as she had been seven days before. The feeling of suffocation grew stronger as the unwanted memory surged forth. Apparently the segment of Alucard's soul had sensed the distress, because the omnipresent growl intensified. It sounded far beyond enraged.

Twilight's vision went forward again, looking at the bi-colored sphere - and something caught her attention. A single mote of light glowed brighter on the white area of the sphere, more radiant than the rest. It felt familiar to her, and she instinctively moved toward it. For reasons she couldn't describe, the light seemed to give off a calming aura. In this unknown realm, the light was welcoming.

She reached the light and allowed it to envelop her magical vision. The stark white of the light became the only thing she could see - Twilight found herself in an area devoid of color whatsoever. There were no dancing patterns, no ghostly mountain ranges, no shadows expanding around her...

"Who are you?"

A chill came over her. _'There's somepony here?!'_

Twilight's vision spun around in shock - how quickly, she couldn't gauge. She looked around, and found the source of the sudden voice. A ghostly visage of Rainbow Dash was before her, but she looked slightly different. Specifically, she looked younger and her mane and tail were shorter, like they had been in the years before Alucard had bound his magic to her.

This Rainbow Dash cocked her head to one side, considering the violet presence that had just arrived. "You seem familiar..." Her mouth hadn't moved while she spoke, yet the words seemed projected from her like a speaker.

Twilight found her voice, or what passed as her voice in this unknown realm. It sounded like her, but the words were spoken as soon as her thoughts formed, and they weren't _spoken_ as much as broadcast aloud. She, like the pegasus in front of her, spoke without speaking and had her voice projected. "Rainbow Dash? You're...what? How are you here?!"

Rainbow's confused stare deepened. "Rainbow Dash? Who is that?"

Twilight didn't reply, but returned the same confused feeling.

The cyan pegasus, despite appearing half-solid, took very lifelike steps toward Twilight. She spoke without moving her mouth again. "Something about you seems so familiar. I wonder...can you show me what you are?"

Rainbow reached out a foreleg, which was actively using the white patterns of telepathy.

Twilight realized the patterns too late. She tried to "jump" back in her ethereal state, a very real panic gripping her heart...but when contact was made between her and this pegasus, there were no feelings of agonizing pain. Flashes of white emptiness still came and went, as they usually did when a new presence invaded her mind. The difference was that this time, it wasn't forceful or consuming. Rather, it expanded and viewed what was available without claiming anything or leaving anything behind. While the lines Twilight was used to would dance in jagged patterns, this one flowed gracefully.

After a few seconds (or it could have been instantaneous), Rainbow pulled away. When Twilight's vision focused on her again, the confused look was gone. In its place was a jubilant smile.

"I know you!" Rainbow projected. "Magic, my friend! It's been so long since I've felt your touch!"

Twilight would have moaned in confusion had she been able to. "I'm sorry, what?" she asked. "What do you mean, Rainbow?"

The pegasus-phantom shook her head gently. "I'm not this Rainbow Dash you know, though I understand your confusion. It's because I'm wielded by your Bearer's pony friend that I look this way to you."

"Then if you're not Rainbow Dash, who are you?"

"Magic, you do not recognize me?" The pegasus lifted her foreleg again, this time without using any trace of telepathy, and touched her own neck just above her chest. A soft cloud-and-bolt pattern emerged on her body, connected by a line of golden light. "I am Loyalty, a part of Harmony that has stood alongside you with the rest of our friends since our discovery centuries ago."

Twilight paused. "Loyalty? You're...an Element of Harmony?"

The pegasus's smile shifted a little, becoming sadder. "Well, I am...but not completely."

"I don't understand."

"Oh, Magic...you've always tried to understand everything around you. It's your greatest trait," Loyalty mused aloud. "I am Loyalty, but not all of it. I was coaxed and imprisoned by a terrifying shade some time ago, who I believe is this Alucard you're fighting."

Twilight's gasp wasn't heard, but would not have been out of place. "How do you know about..."

"I saw everything I needed to see, my friend. I know you're wielded by a unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle, and that you are embroiled in a great struggle against an evil not local to her homeland. I also saw what this Alucard has done to her friends and her home. It truly is frightening; I'm sorry I cannot be there with you."

In her own mind, Twilight was still beset with wonder and confusion. Yet the figure before her resembled a younger, healthier Rainbow Dash, and the entire area was still comforting. In spite of her questions, she felt her instincts relax around this blue pegasus. Somehow, she knew this figure wasn't lying.

"Alright, then," Twilight broadcast, deciding to give in to trust. "If you're a part of Loyalty, then why are you here? Where _is_ here, anyway?"

Loyalty nodded in understanding. "I believe we're within a part of the white alicorn your wielder saw earlier this evening. The one who called for your help."

"And you?"

"I am here...well, I'm still not sure how." She turned her head to the side, recalling memories of bygone days. "As I said, I was imprisoned by a deep darkness some time ago. It surrounded me and separated me from the rest of my being. Try as I might, I could not reconnect with the rest of me. But recently, I felt my prison moving, shifting away from what I was. There was a sensation of being chased, then of panic...but after that, a great sense of ambition overcame the darkness that had captured me."

Loyalty took a moment to narrow her eyes in discontent. "The feelings were not my own. They were evil. Feelings of maleficence came from all around." She raised her head a bit, facing Twilight's vision. "But soon after that, I was discovered by this bright and comforting area we're in now. And now that I've seen the truths you have learned, I think I understand what is happening."

"Hold on, you were surrounded and cut off from the rest of you?"

The ghostly pegasus nodded. "I cannot explain why...but perhaps your friend can later. It's something to do with the dark one's plan."

"Rainbow did say something about the Elements not being able to beat Alucard," Twilight recalled. "Well, alright then. Listen, we have a plan to stop him from destroying our home, but I am _really_ overwhelmed. Is there any way you can help?"

Loyalty's smile grew, showing an air of confidence behind it. "I believe I can. You're looking to exorcise the portion of your enemy's soul from the innocent alicorn he has overtaken, correct?"

"That's right, but I have no idea how to do it!"

"You can learn properly one day, Magic - it's in your nature. Yes, I can help you. I have learned that Alucard craves power, yet counts himself a god. He will not stand to having your essence here with his own. I wager that once you leave this area we're in, he'll try to attack you and consume you."

Twilight's vision shook with what would pass as apprehension. "I'd like to avoid that."

"You will," Loyalty reassured. "You can exude your natural power as you leave - let it flow through you shapelessly. He will have no choice but to follow. But while he is doing that, I can use what power I still have to push him out as well, making sure he cannot return."

"How will that help?"

"As he chases you down, I will do what I can to help the white alicorn reclaim what is rightfully his. He and I will work together to drive Alucard out and away, closing the doors from behind him, so to speak. Alucard won't be able to grab hold of the innocent stallion the way he did. At the same time, you escape this area with the help of our friends, and return to the unicorn who has earned your power. I will push Alucard while you pull, and together we can expel his presence from this alicorn's soul."

"Okay, okay," Twilight projected, understanding. "Then what should I do to save you?"

To her surprise, Loyalty shook her head. "I'm afraid you cannot."

"What?"

"I have been severed from myself, Magic. As I was being pulled away from the rest of me, I fought hard to remain, but could not. What I am now is just a portion of what I once was. Besides, the one who wields me is stronger now - I saw that she has learned more about me while I was not a part of her."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "You came back to her! In the palace throne room...I saw it!"

Loyalty shook her head again. "Not all of me made it back."

Twilight wanted to argue, but at that moment, strands of dark energy began to seep into the white area. She looked around in panic, fearful of the sudden change. A resounding growl began to reverberate through the space. Alucard was beginning to assert control over the host's body again.

The ghostly image of Loyalty looked up as the changes occurred. "You're running out of time. Go on, my friend. You and the rest of our friends can save everyone!"

Twilight looked back at the pegasus, who was looking back with a sad yet determined grin. "Okay, I'll try!" she broadcast, tapping deep into her reserves of magic. As she had been told, Twilight allowed her power to expand freely, flowing without shape. She became a beacon that Alucard's power instantly recognized.

The vibrating growls intensified. Twilight backed away from Loyalty, leaving the way she had entered. She passed beyond the glowing mote of light, and steadily put distance between her vision and the magnificent sphere.

"One last thing," came Loyalty's voice. Twilight looked back at the shining ball of light. "Tell your pegasus friend that I'm sorry. I think I may have hurt her recently, when I tried to stay with her."

It had not been the dark magic that had burned Rainbow Dash's neck, but her spirit of Loyalty itself, done in a desperate attempt to remain whole. Twilight called back her understanding. "I will!"

Then the shine of that light expanded beyond a simple mote, spreading along the white areas of the titanic sphere. The glow intensified to blinding factors, and the darkness that had latched onto it began to react violently. An inner war of dominion was waged. Great black lances of Alucard's power dislodged from the white soul, drawn to the irresistible power of Twilight Sparkle. They arced and dove for her essence, accompanied by the growl that came from everywhere at once.

Twilight ducked and evaded the lances as best she could, continuing her backwards journey to her friends. She began to hear their voices calling to her, giving her courage and support from the physical realm. She drew closer to her friends, hearing her own grunts of exertion poxed with the occasional shriek. The natural pull of the remaining Elements guided her, but she could not tear her sight away from the black pillars that reached for her.

Above the clouds, where the Bearers were huddled together, a set of clashing hums began to ring out into the air. A multicolored ribbon of metaphysical power emerged from around Twilight, its glow expanding past everypony. The power lifted them all off the cloud layer, allowing them to hover without moving.

At the same time, a similar waving band seeped out and circled around the stallion, this one a black deep enough to swallow light. As it rotated, the darkness of his coat shuddered and roiled. It began to lift off his body in rivulets, forming a rippling sphere a few feet above him. Each passing second saw more of the antimatter converging into the ball.

Twilight's enhanced vision continued to retreat, her natural power marking herself a target. The attacks from the dark lances grew ever closer, and most of it had joined into a wide beam that chased her down. Feral panic ate at Twilight's senses as she neared her own body. The two essences were very nearly touching, and she began to feel a deadening chill within her own phyche.

"_NO!_" she shrieked.

On instinct, she pulled back the rest of her magic, her eyes receding to their natural color as she did so. A phantom image of Alucard's magic was burned into her sight, and she physically recoiled. However, when she tried to flail, she was held firmly on either side by her friends, who had not abandoned her. They each had their eyes open as well, and were all staring at the same point ahead of them.

Twilight's gaze matched theirs, and she saw it. The darkness of the stallion's coat had completely left his body, and the resulting sphere of power shook violently. It towered above them all, far larger than any siphon spell he had previously created. Ghostly images of black lightning, red irises, and white patterns of telepathy magic appeared and faded by the dozen. The deep growling hadn't stopped, and in fact seemed to shake the very world.

Then suddenly, the ribbons of energy shifted. The one surrounding Twilight and her grouped friends broke off, switched orientation, and reconnected itself in front of them. It resumed its rapid rotation, the hum it gave off much louder and more reassuring. It created an ethereal barrier that was at once finite yet shapeless. It was magic without form, granted by the unity of Harmony working as one.

Alucard's own broke off as well, but instead of moving between him and the mare's own, it took place behind the rippling sphere that was his bound magic. One end connected to the rest of him, and then the ribbon split into tendrils of power, each one utterly replete with lethal black electricity. The tendrils expanded and curled around, waving in angry anticipation, like a nest of snakes poised to strike.

The magical glow of the six Elements pooled together into one, forming at the edge of Magic's inlain symbol. Each of the Elements' glows faded, having poured the last ounces of their Bearers' energy into the light. It shot forward, closing the distance between the hovering mares and the multicolored barrier, where it placed itself in the center and began to glow all the brighter.

Alucard's hypnotic tendrils moved at the same moment, tensing and firing off toward the light. Each ribbon became as lightning, and each contact point was accompanied with the cracks of thunder. Sparks of magic from either side flew randomly, touching the bodies of anypony nearby. The areas where the sparks landed instantly felt either warm or numb, depending on what manner of magic fell upon them.

The eyes of the six mares were fixed upon the point. This was the last that they could do. Everything they had was placed into that light. The clashing hums of each magic grew louder and louder, to the point where the glass and crystal of the city below began to shake in protest. The power of either magic was being consumed at an alarming rate, but nopony could make a move. They were forced to watch, petrified, as the opposing essences waged open war.

Alucard's magic, which had been enhanced and provided by his eclipse, began to break up. The power that held the clouds together started to seep upward, like acid rain falling in the wrong direction. They did not rise very far, but floated and remained still at various heights, turning the entire area into a wicked maze of magic.

The ribbon of power that protected the paragons drew in on itself, giving all it had to the ball of light set within its center. The black magic of the pariah surged forth with newfound vigor, and one final bolt of lightning joined the fray. The glow of the first became blinding, the darkness of the other became abyssal, and the hums of either became as shrieks torn from the very world. A smell of burnt ozone wafted forth, leaving the taste of bitter copper on the tongues of the mares. Hairs on their pelts stood on end. And the unblinking eclipse saw it all.

Alucard's voice rent the air, disembodied and wavering. His proclamation joined the shrieks of both magics, just as shapeless and endless.

"_YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME - YOU CANNOT DEFEAT WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW - HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME - NO MATTER WHAT YOU TRY YOU CANNOT PROVE ANYTHING HERE - MY DESTINY LIES ELSEWHERE - YOUR MASTERS WILL KNOW OF MY STRENGTH - A GOD IS BEFORE YOU AND YET YOU DEFY ME - HARMONY IS AN ILLUSION TO LEAD YOU ASTRAY - YOU HAVE NOTHING - YOU HAVE NOTHING - YOU HAVE NOTHING!_"

Rainbow managed to crane her neck, inching a little closer to the blinding light. She replied.

"We have everything we need."

Then a flash from the magics put an end to the sounds and assaulted senses and even the ability to measure time.

A clear, spherical wall expanded for hundreds of yards, banishing the floating spots of magic that had risen from the clouds. In their place, shining specks of light took form, their glows rising to a pinnacle and then fading from existence. Following the wall came rings of color, pulsing off in sets and different angles. When one of those rings contacted a body, that body was violently pushed away and landed in a heap on the cloud layer. Each of the hovering mares was struck and sent sprawling, their cries of shock cutting off only because they did not fall far.

One such ring contacted both Rainbow Dash and Alucard at the same time. While she was physically knocked aside, he could not move from where he was. However, the energy tore through whatever senses he still commanded, and he gave a very real shout of pain. The sphere that made up his body trembled in the throes of agony, letting loose weak bolts of lightning higher into the sky. His voice rang out in place of the earlier shrieks of magic, much louder than any of his thunderclaps.

A violent reaction from the warring spells gave off a burst of energy, and the sheer weight of that energy invaded the senses of everypony. Suddenly they felt sick and itchy, with the sensations of drowning and falling causing their stomachs to lurch. They each shut their eyes and tried to outlast the experience, but the sensation proved too much, and one by one, they lost consciousness. The last thing they saw was Alucard, his body nothing but a sphere of magic and soul, trembling in the throes of his fury.

They did not, however, see him die.

Finally, after what felt like an age, the magic from either spell gave out entirely. They had each consumed the other. A final burst of translucent light emerged from the contact point. That burst of light passed over each of the six Bearers like silk, caressing their bodies with a touch that was surprisingly soft. The touch left them all feeling tranquil, almost disembodied, and nopony spoke. It would be more accurate to say nothing moved - no breaths, no attempts to stand, nothing whatsoever. The endeavor had completely sapped them of everything except their heartbeats.

The magical wings gifted by Princess Luna were flickering rapidly, their essence dying in the wake of the warring spells. The six Bearers all lay still atop the dark clouds, their minds blank and bodies still. If the magical wings faded completely, the four mares gifted with them would fall through the clouds. Even so, the energy of Twilight's magic, which had destroyed Alucard's barrier earlier, had started a reaction in the clouds themselves - holes had begun to form, and were growing larger at an alarming rate. It would only take a few short minutes before Canterlot would see the sky again, and then a few minutes more before the clouds were consumed entirely.

One way or another, it meant that the ponies atop the clouds would fall to the city below unless they managed to recover.

It was nearly a full minute before a movement was made, during such time the splits in the clouds grew. Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open, realizing quickly that half of her vision was obscured. She had landed stomach-down on the cloud layer, her limbs sprawled haphazardly, her head angled down toward the clouds. Her mind methodically paced forward, coming to terms with what had happened.

She mentally sent commands to move, which went ignored. The most she could do was move her eyes across what she could see; otherwise, she was completely immobilized.

Had Alucard been destroyed in the blast? She couldn't be sure - everything had happened so quickly. When she had last looked toward where his bound magic was floating, it was trembling violently. But she hadn't actually seen it get destroyed by the energy, and she wanted so badly to be certain.

Rainbow tried to fight a little longer, going against the invasive feeling of tranquility that seeped into her being from all corners. She wanted to look skyward and see if Alucard was still there. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to stand, to fly, and to just keep laying there in the darkness of the eclipse.

In front of her, a glimmer of light caught her attention. Applejack was struggling, desperately trying to stand despite her injury. She was on her back, lopsided, her body angled away from Rainbow's own. Strained groans of effort broke the silence around them, and the ethereal glow of her magical wings flared and flickered.

Pushing against the tranquility, Rainbow found strength enough to speak. "Applejack..." she murmured.

The farm mare lacked the strength to turn herself over, but was able to reply after a moment of trying anyway. "Is-is that you? ...Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah..." she wheezed, mentally warding off the desire to sleep. "Yeah, it's me."

The two of them went silent for a moment, neither sure of _what_ exactly they wanted to say. Rainbow strained to look up, barely catching the glimpses of the rest of her friends spread out in a jagged line. It seemed that only the two of them were conscious.

"Applejack, can...can you see him?"

After a pause, Applejack redoubled her efforts to move. When those failed, she focused on twisting her neck around to acquire a good angle. She caught sight of the stallion, who was also still, and looked to the air above him. The tension on her neck made it hard to breathe, but she didn't want to waste this chance.

"See anything?" Rainbow pried.

Applejack relaxed and allowed her neck to fall back again, sucking in a deep breath at the same moment. "No," she said, quieter after the strain. "There's nothin' up there."

Rainbow's first instinct was to check for herself, but her body was still unresponsive to her willingness to move. She began to feel a shift in temperature at her back - the holes in the clouds were growing fast, and the open space below was greeting her like a lost friend. She groaned in her effort, gaining nothing for her troubles.

"Did we do it?" Applejack asked. She had stopped trying to roll over, sensing that she wouldn't make any progress. "Did we win?"

At that moment, Rainbow double-checked her thoughts. She couldn't personally see if Alucard was there, but the Bearer of Honesty had just told her he wasn't. That was worth taking at face value. And if Alucard was beaten, if he was gone from Equestria...then Rainbow Dash didn't need to keep fighting.

When the king is conquered, the pawns can rest. _'Isn't that how the game is played?'_ she thought.

Slowly, Rainbow stopped pushing against the tranquil feelings entering her mind from all sides. As the new sensation came over her, she identified with what she felt. Calm, assurance, and even lingering regret rose to the surface of her being. And pride was there, as well - the same pride that had been exploited four years ago, now emerging as a reward for her hard-earned victory. Because this _was_ a victory. It had to be.

She smiled. _'I never liked chess. Too slow.'_

Taking a deep, reassuring breath, she finally spoke again. "Yeah," she said, her voice quiet and strong, just like her virtue. "We did it."

She didn't realize that she had been crying.

Nearby, Applejack released a long breath. "Ah never...gave up on you, Rainbow... You know that, right?"

The victorious tranquility grew, and with it, the silent crying. "I know."

The flickering of the magical wings became violent, alternating between seen and unseen several dozen times a second. Applejack's seemed to be blinking the fastest, and her breathing began to speed up as well. It was the first sign of actual panic she had shown during the entire affair. This time, she had started to realize that there was no way out.

The magic of her wings finally reached its end, and she spoke again. Her voice was quiet, saddened, and filled with regret at the knowledge it implied. "Apple Bloom...your sister loves you..."

Her wings completely faded, and Applejack fell through the clouds with a soft _whoosh_.

The sight of her friend falling seemed to enhance the agonizing tranquility Rainbow felt. She shut her eyes tight, unwilling to look upon the empty space where the orange mare had lain only seconds ago. As she defied the sight before her, she became more aware of the empty space at her back, and the subtle tug of gravity as the edge grew ever nearer.

'_It's not fair,'_ she thought. _'I was supposed to pay the price to win. My friends shouldn't need to suffer because of me.'_

Her ears twitched as another sound assailed her. _Whoosh_. She instinctively knew that a second body had fallen through the clouds, devoid of any magic to hold them aloft.

'_Is this the price of being loyal? Have I...did I bring this loyalty back to my friends when I went back to Ponyville?'_

Two more of the horrifying sounds met her, and she finally opened her eyes. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle were all missing - Fluttershy was the only other one left, and was rapidly shifting forwards as a hole in the clouds caused her to list. Her face showed the same tranquility, easing her into a deeper rest.

'_If I helped my friends become loyal again, then...I'm happy. We were together again, at least, in times as bad as this. Maybe...maybe the thing about sacrifice is that doesn't need to be held by one pony alone.'_

Rainbow's body slid backward, and she felt pressure along her forelegs as gravity pulled at her. Fluttershy was suffering a similar dilemma, and it was a short moment later that she silently fell through the rapidly growing tears in the clouds. The sound of her fluttering feathers caught in the air rose up, swiftly faded, and then silence became Rainbow Dash's only companion.

'_I just...I wish I could have made things right.'_

The space in the clouds finally stole her support on them. Rainbow slid backwards and fell, her body facing upward. Her world became a mess of loud winds and the sensation of having her limbs pulled away. She had stopped crying, but tears continued to escape her.

It was at that moment that Rainbow finally saw it. A faint glimmer of incredible light, arcing in the sky, far above the limits of any pegasus. The size of the light expanded, spreading a rapid warmth through everything it touched. As the light reached the manifested clouds of Alucard storm, it broke through and began to dissolve them as though it were fire on a sheet of ice.

Rainbow blinked as she saw the light reclaiming what was stolen from it. She knew it was the sun, appearing curved and partial as the eclipse died, yet growing fuller as the moon was coaxed away from it. As the welcome light finally spread over Rainbow's falling form, she felt the warmth of that light like the embrace of a blanket or the splash of summer rain.

She let that warmth permeate her, meeting and joining the horrible tranquility. Together - the warmth, the sight of her victory, and the tranquility, the price that victory was costing her - grew and engulfed her every fiber, spreading quickly and leaving only peace in its wake.

Rainbow drew in a shaky breath, noticing the sound of the rushing air growing quieter. Shadows ate at her sight, and her vision began to tunnel. Left with only her thoughts, she made a decision.

She decided that, even if things had not been perfect, she _had_ made things right. Because the life she had led before meeting Alucard was wonderful, but not perfect...yet it _was_ right in every way. And if giving her home back the imperfect day it so cherished and took for granted was the right thing to do, then this was, undeniably, what she had wanted. What she had needed.

Her smile expanded slightly as she lost herself in the absolute peace she now felt. Slowly, she gave up her fight to remain awake, too. _'The sky is...beautiful...'_

Going completely limp, Rainbow's body began to tilt backwards, her head angling toward the distant ground. Her eyes barely remained open against the air, and several tears were stolen away, claimed by the evening sky. Her vision swam, becoming a tunnel of blended colors. The last vestiges of consciousness began to seep away from her as she fell, yet not once did her sad smile fade. There was a victory won that day. It wasn't perfect, but it was right.

The sound of rushing wind faded. A great shadow claimed her.

Silence.

**End chapter sixteen**

Author's comments: I am so sorry it's taken this long to get this one out. I have no excuses. Just know that this chapter has been on my mind since the story's conception two years ago, and I sincerely hope I've done it justice. No matter what I may feel, this chapter alone has set new milestones for me - I have never written twenty-thousand words for a single entry before, and never before has it felt so right.

If anyone has questions about the twists and resolutions found here, you are welcome to ask me. I'll answer everything I can.

Next chapter: In the wake of the wishmaster's storm, the grand city of Canterlot is left to deal with the fallout. Homes and lives have been lost, and the price to keep the rest of either safe has to be paid. Who now can shoulder the burden of responsibility? The players involved must still walk through the wake of the storm, and its up to them to decide how to move on.


	17. Kindred Spirits, Part A

**Rain without Rainbows**  
>A tale from two authors, companions, and friends.<br>Author: Leoshi  
>Co-author: Cyros Lugoth<p>

!Disclaimer!: I hope I got this out before season four. I also hope you enjoy Hasbro's show as much as I do. Be sure to support them for their efforts, and especially Faust, Theisson, and the Hub for their stellar work. (In case you haven't read ANY of my disclaimers at ALL before, this means that I own nothing beyond this story. So there!)

Welcome back to the story of sacrifice and intrigue. If you missed the previous chapter, then you missed everything. Several truths were revealed and a grand battle was had, during which time Rainbow Dash and company discovered what Alucard really was. But they fell from the sky, completely drained and incapable of movement.

So were their efforts rewarded? What became of the unidentified stallion found in the clouds? And how are Celestia and Luna dealing with the resulting fallout in the shadow of Alucard's attempted takeover? Read on.

**Chapter seventeen:** Kindred Spirits

Equestria was far away. Mountains and valleys and seas obstructed the journey between the two lands. And this other land, separate from Equestria in so many ways, was about to go dark for a short span of time.

Far above, the sun and moon crossed paths in the sky, coating the region in an expected darkness. Response was immediate, but not of the hostile variety. In fact, the ponies affected by this eclipse were calm, almost bored, as they powered on their lamps and lanterns. Streets that were growing cold were slowly alight with warm glows, illuminating passers-by and guiding their paths home. Shops closed and locks turned, but again it was not done out of hostility or fear. The eclipse simply signaled the end of business.

This was a common event in this land. It happened twice a day.

Yet there was one area in this land that was dark before the sun hid behind the moon. It would remain dark after Sol re-emerged and continued its descent, and while the moon pressed ever toward its zenith. It _had_ remained dark for the eclipse earlier that morning - and every day with every cycle from the start of the stallion's plan hence. For four long years, the room had been dark.

There was no furniture in the room. No lamps, only one door, and four narrow vents that allowed airflow. Inside this room were two bodies. One was undoubtedly Alucard, with his usual batlike membrane wings folded across his back, his alabaster mane and tail softly waving in a nonexistent breeze, and his coat a solid shadow of darkness itself. His eyes were closed, as they had been for years, and he softly breathed as he concentrated - again, as he had done for years on-end. Finally, his long horn was engulfed in a soft field of magic, rippling in an exact mimicry of his empowered mane.

But one difference stood out. This Alucard seemed older. More mature, even. Whereas the Alucard that so recently conquered Equestria for an afternoon was dangerous, this one was clearly a viper among rodents. He was dangerous, and did not need to prove it to be known.

Alucard's breath jolted suddenly, and his chest tensed with the reflex of a cough. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing two tired orbs of red. He stared straight ahead for a moment, analyzing his surroundings. He started to blink, but did not speak.

Again, inside this room were two bodies. The second body rose from a sitting position, slowly trotting over. This pony was young, eager to prove herself, and incredibly devoted to the alicorn nearby. She had sensed his mental return to her presence. She was just a filly, but owed everything she knew to Alucard.

Knowing he would be wracked with fatigue, she hoisted a saddlebag filled with oats and a deep bowl of water, balancing both with little effort. She didn't say a word as she set them to his side, nor when she backpedaled in his full view. The filly met his gaze dead-center, but unlike everypony else, her eyes held no fear or revulsion.

"Welcome back," she finally said.

Alucard finally noticed her, tilting his head slightly in regard. The aura of his magic faded to nothing. He blinked rapidly, sharpening his vision after years spent in concentration, before he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"How long?" His voice was dry and raspy, as Rainbow Dash's had been when she was found by her friends.

Normally, someone would need context to answer him. But the filly knew him well enough. "Four years, three months, and eighteen days. We've had no hunters since two months and five days after you entered your trance. You were pronounced missing one month after the final search, and dead two months and one day after that. There is nopony searching for you now."

"The princess?"

"On the throne. Her rule has been uneventful since your brief experience in politics occurred. There have been no ponies to oppose her as you have."

Alucard nodded, satisfied. "Then I have all I need."

"What of Equestria?" the filly asked, a ghost of a smile gracing her teeth.

"She stands. A wounded prey, but one I will not hunt."

A flicker of disbelief crossed the child's face as the news reached her. "You failed?"

"I did _not_ fail," Alucard replied venomously. "I succeeded in what I set out to do. I proved my power with only a fraction of what I wield, and I was a god above them for a day. Unfortunately, I was undone by the smallest of oversights, none of which hold any power here."

"But Equestria stands, you said."

"It does." The alicorn took a moment to drink deeply of the water near him. His voice was stronger as he continued. "It stands only because Harmony was its crutch, and the power of that magic equaled my own. But it matters not, as my goal was never to own Equestria."

The filly nodded. "That's right; forgive me. I remember you saying your destiny lies here, not there."

"Very good."

"So what happens now?" she asked, calmly walking forward and popping some of the oats into her own mouth.

Alucard gave the barest hint of a smile, then turned his head and regarded a far wall. "Simple, really. By so easily overtaking the Equestria region, I've proven that I am ready to contest the throne here at home. The only things I need are you..."

At the walls of the room, dark oily magic began to seep in. It coated the walls and pooled into four separate masses, before they too joined as one rippling orb. A phantom growl sounded from everywhere at once. In reply, Alucard stretched out a foreleg toward the magic.

"...and me," he finished.

The magic extended a tendril of power, wrapping around his offered foreleg. It seeped into his dark coat, connecting with him effortlessly. The magic was a fragment of himself, the piece of his own soul he had sent against Equestria. As it was reclaimed by its rightful owner, every ounce of memory and stolen strength joined with him. As before, the foreign power burned him, but he did not grunt or wince.

As his soul was once again made whole, he closed his eyes and savored the feeling. When he opened them again, their color had gone. Replaced by blank fields of white.

"Eat well, my dear," he said. "My destiny awaits, and you will want to see every moment of it."

The filly gave a wicked smile of anticipation - a perfect match of Alucard's own.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash stood alone atop a sheer cliff once more.<p>

She oversaw the Everfree Forest, suffering the hot, harsh winds of a terrible storm. A daunting eclipse gazed down upon her from on high, throwing the entire region into an unfathomable darkness. Blasts of nightmarish lightning scorched the land, splintering trees and boiling away rivers. The abandoned hub of Ponyville was a ruin, frames and foundations of buildings forming a skeletal labyrinth from which there was no exit.

And as before, a single, haunting scream rang out into the air, unending and unrelenting.

She looked around in a daze, taking note of how much things had not changed since the last time she had seen this. With no small amount of hesitation, Rainbow Dash stepped to the lip of the cliff, gazing down to where the scream's source undoubtedly was. And she was right - her own broken body was stuck on the rocks at the foot of the cliff. The copy's wings were at sickening angles, and her body was riddled with injuries and flowing blood. A moment passed as the two Rainbows exchanged stares.

The pegasus on the cliff looked at her foreleg, not at all surprised to find the mock Wonderbolt uniform adorning her body. The detail was disturbing - every stitch and pattern was matched exactly as the official suits, yet the entire thing was darker and, she imagined, more stifling. The suit she wore seemed to constrict her movement, and it was warm..._alive_.

At that moment, Rainbow Dash refused to bear the burden of that suit any further. She reached out with her foreleg, extending it past the cliff edge. Slowly, a rivulet of blood formed warm drops in the same spot as four years before, and they fell to the bottom of the cliff, landing directly on the broken Rainbow below.

She stood still as the blood continued to flow. After a moment, she felt the burden begin to shift. As her tainted blood left her and landed on the dying visage of herself below, the dark uniform she wore rippled and shifted, ripping and receding as it left her soul. It, too, began to fall with the blood, landing on the injured pegasus.

'_I'm tired of running and hiding,'_ she thought as her own body began to change. _'I'm tired of being scared of what I could not explain. I'm tired of all this, and I'm ready for whatever comes next.'_

The tainted blood flowed as a steady stream now, covering the double of her. As contact was made, the screaming Rainbow took on the suit for herself, and the actual Rainbow's body was slowly restored. Their appearances were being exchanged, and with them, their burdens.

'_I gave up everything to keep my friends safe. But still, my choices put everypony in a lot of danger. Even the princesses. I made those choices because I wanted something bigger, something more than what I had.'_

Eventually, the flow of blood stopped completely. Rainbow Dash, standing on the cliff, was back to her original body, free from the darkness that had ensnared her for so long. Her colorful mane hung slack and lifeless, her vibrant cutie mark now weathered and bruised. In all, she appeared weathered and worn, yet somehow retained an inner strength and knowledge of what she was. She let out a relieved sigh, and looked down at her double.

The other Rainbow was a pitiful sight. The magic had overtaken her body, seeping into her very soul. The unending scream finally began to break, unable to cope with the injuries and the magic at once. She moved her head and one leg in a desperate grasp at nothing, trying to escape what had become of her. But it was a doomed effort. After a minute, she let out one final, heart-wrenching shriek. Then she accomplished what the real Rainbow Dash had attempted - she died on the rocks.

Rainbow Dash couldn't hold back. She cried for the pegasus, because some parts of _her_ had died, as well.

'_No more. It never should have been like this. I now know that I have what I've always wanted. Nothing else is as important to me as what I finally got back...even if it was just for a few hours.'_

With a new sense of resolve and wisdom, Rainbow Dash turned away. This world, this Equestria, was the result of her choices. In the distance, the rage of the storm began to quiet, and the shaking of the world began to settle. She knew without looking that the sun was emerging from behind the moon, bathing the dying land with light and life. Giving it one more chance.

She opened her eyes, facing the dark wall of fog that separated her from the unknown. A great divide that symbolized everything she feared as one, last gate. A barrier that split the world she had chosen from the world she had earned.

'_I've done all I can.'_

With a deep breath, she nodded and stepped forward. Her body eased through the unnatural fog, and she walked bravely into the void. Darkness took her.

* * *

><p>The tug of consciousness slowly brought awareness to Rainbow Dash. Her eyes opened in a fitful shudder, an action she immediately regretted due to an ungodly light hanging above her. She grimaced and brought her left foreleg around, shielding her eyes. As she moved, she felt a slight pressure move with her, a light touch along her stomach. It felt very much like a bedsheet.<p>

As the seconds passed, her awareness shapened. She cast her glance around, barely registering the objects around her. To her left stood a nightstand with a collection of medical items and a few errant feathers placed within a glass dish. Among the items was her Harmony necklace, inert but intact. Beyond that were other beds, lined up in a precise row, all vacant and all with their own privacy curtains pulled open. A single window adorned a wall at the end, showing a dark and peaceful night.

To her right, her own privacy curtain was present, blocking her view further. But within reach was a metal pole that held a sac of clear liquid, dripping down through a plastic tube. Rainbow's eyes followed that tube until it vanished beneath a thin sheet, covering her body as it was. She slowly raised her left foreleg, casting the material aside, where it bunched on the linoleum floor in a pathetic heap. With no obstruction, she focused on the end of the plastic tube, slightly unnerved at the fact that it led into a needle and fed beneath her coat.

Unnerved, but not panicked. She was alive. And that fact unnerved her further...because it shouldn't have been possible.

The unforgiving light above her cast its radiance along her body, and she spotted bandages of purest white wrapping around her stomach. Her eyes narrowed at the sight - it reminded her much of the night she had spent in the care center over four years past. Cautiously, she moved her forelegs away to look upon the wrapping properly. To her relief, there was no ominous glow of blue-black. The bandages were just bandages, and whatever they covered wasn't magical.

However, a distinct pain came from her side beneath the wrapping. Rainbow Dash tugged at the cloth, intent on seeing what had happened to her.

"Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, miss."

Rainbow's head shot up in shock, and she found herself face-to-face with a unicorn whose name she couldn't place, but whose face seemed oddly familiar. He smiled gently through his eyeglasses, considering her from the end of the bed.

She swallowed, realizing just how thirsty she was. "You...are you..."

"Don't strain yourself. You've worked yourself past your limit, and it's important that you take things slow. For once in your life, at least." The unicorn doctor's horn became alight with magic, lifting a chart that held details about her.

Rainbow wanted to nod, but still found herself lacking. "Aren't you the doctor who cared for my wing after a big crash I had a long time ago?"

He smiled, glancing up at her. "I'm surprised you recognize me. Stable's the name, and it's wonderful to see you awake at last."

"What's going on?" she rasped. "What happened?"

"You mean it's not obvious?" Doctor Stable replied, his tone going serious. "You won, Rainbow Dash. You saved us."

His magic flicked a switch on the lamp above her, banishing the light and casting the hospital room into an uneven darkness. Light spilled in from an open doorway and a few strips of fluorescent bulbs above, which were all dim during the overnight hours. Rainbow blinked away the worst of the miosis, looking out to her left once more. The window at the end of the room gave an unobstructed view of the sky outside, replete with telltale stars and the embracing glow of the moon. Strands of wispy cloud wove ribbons through the sky, framing the constellations in a natural gallery of appreciation.

Luna's moon was free. The sky was free. Equestria was free.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Stable mused, stricken by the sight as much as she. "The eclipse and the storm seemed to last forever, yet here is a night as fantastic as any other."

Rainbow Dash allowed the words to enter her as a welcome truth, but her confusion remained. Her gaze drifted downward, coming across the row of vacant beds. She realized then that she had awoken alone. "Doctor...my friends..." she whispered, somewhat afraid of the truth.

"Fine," the doctor replied. "They're all fine. Each of them were brought here to be revived, and you're the last one. You and your friends gave us all quite a scare."

"But we fell," she murmured, looking into his eyes. "How am I here?"

"I should think it obvious. You fell; you were caught."

"Caught? But-"

Doctor Stable waved a hoof. "You'll find out, but I've been asked not to reveal anything. Mainly because I myself haven't been told anything. Just relax while I take a look at you, okay?"

The dismissal coaxed out an onset of fatigue in her, and she slumped down on her pillow. The doctor walked up and began his examination, taking various notes on his clipboard as he went. After a brief minute spent in silence, Stable spoke up again. "Sit up for me?"

With a moan, Rainbow rose and swung her hind legs over the right side of the bed. She kept her gaze down, lids half-closed, as the doctor took a magical hold on her stomach bandages and began unwrapping them. The firm pressure along her side began to loosen as each second passed.

"Have you ever met my family, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow's breath slowed as she thought back to her life before now. "I don't think so. I only saw you after I sprained my wing."

"Perhaps you should see them someday," Stable went on, suddenly wistful. "My wife and I just had our second daughter this past spring. She's a unicorn like me, and is just now starting to develop some talent. I have a feeling she'll be just as rambunctious as her sister by the time she's ready for her first year of school."

"Doctor?" Rainbow Dash questioned, not understanding the sudden conversation.

"Nopony's seen you in years, Rainbow Dash. You disappear off the face of the earth, leaving us all to wonder what happened to you. Then one day, the castle guard forces us all from our homes and has us take refuge here in the city. Only for some ghost of a stallion to come down on us and say he will give us _his_ day."

The doctor removed the last of the bandage wrapping, revealing a distinct bruise along Rainbow's left side, trailing to her back. Something had impacted her with considerable force, but she couldn't remember what. In a moment of memory, she recalled how the magic bound to her had been described as a bruise by Fluttershy - to see a real one now was at once a terrible reminder and a welcome relief.

"Then, suddenly, I heard you were back," Stable went on. "My friends and colleagues from back home tell me they saw you pushing your way through the palace with a fire in your eyes. Your friends all with you, as well. You force your way out into the city, and I don't hear anything more until a series of bangs ring through Canterlot. They're already giving a name to what you six did, you know. I've heard it called the Promised Day, a phenomenon unique to you and your friends."

"It was just needed to get up there," she muttered, not terribly proud of what she had endured.

"And it _did_ get you up there," the doctor reassured, setting down his clipboard and walking to her side of the hospital bed. "We all saw the rings of light, and we saw the lightning come down to meet you. Then it all stopped for a couple hours, while we wondered what was happening. But soon, another brilliant light shone through the clouds, and then those began to break up. The storm ended, and we all cheered as the sun and moon parted ways."

Rainbow looked up at him, her tired gaze meeting his serious eyes. "My wife and daughters are safe because of you. They're safe because you came back to us. Whatever happened up there above the clouds...I don't have to hear the story to know you and your friends performed some kind of miracle."

A knock nearby alerted them that they were no longer alone. A pair of Canterlot guards, pegasi, had come by to check in on her. Rainbow and Stable looked to the doorway in unison.

"Morning, doctor," one of the guards greeted. "How is our patient?"

Rainbow caught on to the word. _'Morning?'_

"She'll be fine with another day of rest. I don't suppose I can convince you to let her stay here?" the doctor asked, his welcome demeanor returning as though it had never left.

The same guard shook his head. "No can do. Both princesses had made the same request to see her as soon as she was well enough to walk."

Stable let out a defeated sigh. "Just as I thought. Very well, let me apply a booster and you can take her where she's needed." He rounded the bed once more, opening a drawer beneath the nightstand. His magic lifted a prepared box of syrettes, pulling one out and removing the overwrap.

"Doctor," Rainbow started, "how long have I been out?"

"Well, I wouldn't know how long you've been unconscious. But I do know that you and your friends were brought to me some nine, maybe ten hours ago."

'_It's only been half a day?'_ "And where are my friends?"

A sharp prick ran up her side as Stable injected the syrette into her bruised skin. "These two fine guards are here to take you to them. It seems this whole situation counts as a matter of national security, so I don't qualify as a need-to-know pony."

"But you're the palace doctor, aren't you?"

Stable gave a good-hearted laugh. "Oh-ho, I wish I was as talented as he! No, no, I'm just making use of his facility. The _real_ palace doctor hasn't left Celestia's side since you six were brought here. Now then, go ahead and try to stand."

Rainbow released a gentle huff, pushing herself off the bedside with significant effort. Her hind hooves contacted the floor, followed swiftly by her forehooves. All of her legs trembled with the strain of holding her up, but hold her up they did. She grimaced as pressure and pain mingled together from all over her body. She felt like she had been caught in an avalanche.

"You took a bad hit to your side," Stable informed. "Any trouble breathing?"

"It hurts on the outside."

"That'd be the bruise. Good, you should be back to normal after a couple weeks of easy resting."

Rainbow lowered her gaze. _'How can I be normal again after all of this?'_

The doctor came to her side once again, this time carrying a set of fresh bandages. With practiced ease, he applied a balm to Rainbow's bruised midsection, wrapped her torso in the cloth, and tugged it firmly shut. Afterward, he lifted her foreleg and magically retracted the intravenous therapy line, tossing the bloodied plastic into a nearby trash bin. He placed a second bandage on her foreleg, cinched it to itself, and stepped back.

"I'd rather keep you here another day before turning you loose, but the powers-that-be have spoken. Off with you."

Stable magically reached out and took hold of her Element, bringing it to a hover in front of her mouth. Rainbow took the artifact in her teeth. As she turned aside, she kept her head down, slowly walking to the guard pair that waited at the doorway. Before she left the hospital room, the doctor called out once more.

"You saved my family, Rainbow Dash. Thank you."

She paused, turned her head, and gave a weak smile in reply. She didn't feel all that victorious.

* * *

><p>Rainbow learned quickly that the guards escorting her were doing more than merely guiding her path. They also took the task of keeping citizens and refugees away, all of whom seemed determined to gaze upon the weakened pegasus. Those who recognized her gave a cheer, those who knew what her necklace meant shouted their thanks, and some others respectfully kept their distance with nothing but an honest smile. Several tried to get close to greet her properly, but the guards assigned to her kept them at a good length away.<p>

She was being granted a hero's welcome by most, but not all. A select few ponies from Canterlot and Ponyville alike eyed her with suspicion. Those unhappy few stood incredulously, and as she passed by, she caught some of them muttering "Wonderbolts" or "murderer" beneath their breaths. Clearly, not everypony was willing to let go of the past, regardless of what newly-discovered truths may have existed.

As she was led past the groups, she didn't return a gesture. The most she did was make eye contact, bite on her Harmony necklace a little firmer, and continue her slow voyage. She and her escorts were silent, though the latter's lack of speech was brought on by professionalism. She just didn't feel like talking.

'_All of these ponies came so close to being killed by Alucard,'_ she thought. _'Not all of them were saved. And it was all made possible because I was stupid enough to believe him.'_

They rounded a corner, and Rainbow finally had to look up properly. A line of hardened guards of all colors stood still, each of them keeping wary eyes on an assorted group of ponies. There was even a score of pegasi who had taken to the air, preventing anypony from bypassing their comrades. The guards formed a breathing barricade against which the citizens couldn't overcome, while the citizens tried in vain to wrest answers from the line of guards.

"Stay close," one of Rainbow's escorts ordered. He then nodded toward the row of comrades before him. Three members of the guard broke off and joined her, forming a five-point circle around her.

Rainbow Dash paused to consider what was happening, but was interrupted as her group began moving forward at a slow pace. After they took a step, her ears were suddenly flooded with questions from all sides.

"Hey, you're one of the mares who flew up there! What happened to the dark one?"

"Have any of you seen my son? Please, I lost sight of him after the shield was put up!"

"How long until repairs on the city can begin?"

"We deserve to see the princesses! You can't keep us out forever!"

"Oh goodness, look at _her_! Is she about to collapse?"

"You weren't fast enough!" came a particularly heart-wrenching cry. "My wife...my wife, she's...!"

Rainbow tried to stop and look upon the gathered herd, but was pushed along by the circle of guards surrounding her. As they progressed, the line ahead of them split, allowing access to wherever they were guarding.

"Don't listen to them," one of them whispered as she passed. "You've done more than any of us could."

In little time, her group stepped past the living barricade. The five guards broke off and joined their comrades, keeping the agitated citizens and refugees held back. "Just keep going. They're waiting for you," one of them called back.

The cyan pegasus hesitated for a full minute, trying her best to push aside the questions and accusations of those she had just passed. Something about their words dug into her, and she was thrown. Finally, she gathered her wits and continued down the hallway.

As Rainbow walked, she noticed the various burn marks of attack magic and sullied polish of rushing hooves. The hallway in which she walked was the place where Alucard had attacked Celestia the morning before. In proof of her silent realization, the damaged doorways to the throne room met her gaze as she rounded one last corner. But those doors were not the only things she saw.

"_Rainbow Dash!_"

A happy cheer slammed her ears, soon followed by hugs that could be nearly counted as full-bodied tackles. Rainbow's vision was an assortment of pink and purple as the manes of four ponies invaded her personal space. She gasped and dropped her Element artifact, forced to the ground under the happy weight.

"Oh gosh, we were so _worried_!"

"You're awake...you're awake!"

"I'm so glad to see you!"

"When the doctor said you were worse than _us_, I had feared that he meant...oh, Rainbow!"

Suddenly, the words and worries of other ponies meant nothing to Rainbow. She gave a genuine smile and returned the hug as best she could, though she couldn't suppress a wince as her friends gripped her bandaged bruise. Sensing her discomfort, her four friends released at once and gave her a proper embrace in turn.

Twilight Sparkle voiced their collective concern as she wrapped her forelegs around her friend. "We were all scared that you wouldn't wake up! When Celestia asked that we gather here instead of wait for you, we all started to worry ourselves sick. Oh, Rainbow Dash, it's like we lost you a second time!"

The unicorn pulled away, looking toward the dropped necklace of Loyalty. She scooped it up and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow's neck once more, attaching the Element to the pegasus. Rainbow Dash's Element of Harmony was dark like the rest, but it attained a welcoming warmth against her coat.

"I'm here, I'm here," Rainbow replied. "I'm more worried about the rest of you."

"We're all fine. The doctor managed to wake us up a few hours ago. We've been fighting to _stay _awake ever since."

Nodding happily, Rainbow glanced around at the tired faces looking toward her. Twilight's eyes were bagged and shadowed, a side-effect from the magical output she had endured. Pinkie Pie was all a-grin, with a few unshed tears forming at the edge of her sight. Rarity gripped one of Rainbow's hooves and held it close, as a silent way of proving that she was, indeed, there with them. As for Fluttershy, she was doing what Pinkie was not: crying in jubilation. They each wore their respective Element of Harmony, and like Rainbow's own, theirs were dark yet warm. Even Sweetie Belle and Spike were looking at her, both sharing feelings of relief and pleasant surprise.

Rainbow's expression fell when she counted who was around her. Somepony was missing. "Where's Applejack?" she asked.

Her friends turned to look at one another before silently moving aside. Rainbow's gaze was drawn to an orange mare resting on the floor, her back to the wall and her little sister resting in the crook of her neck. Nearby, a trademark stetson hat rested unworn, with a golden necklace bearing an apple-shaped crest laying atop. The mare, however, was giving the most relieved smile of them all, straining her neck to look properly on her best friend.

"Howdy, Rainbow Dash," she managed weakly.

Applejack, for of course it was she, was unable to stand and embrace her friend as the others had. Alucard's work had seen to it. Her left foreleg was adorned with a sturdy pair of wooden splints, their ends visible beyond the edges of a thick white cast, which held the leg sturdy in a gentle bend. Her eyes, while open, were glazed with fatigue and lingering medicine.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, a sob escaping her throat.

"None o' that, alright?" the farm mare rasped, gently nudging her sister's sleeping form. "Ah only just now got _this_ one to stop cryin', and it won't do to have you start right after."

"Applejack, your..."

"Ah know, Ah know. Jus' means Ah won't be able to work mah orchard for a couple months. But hey, some o' the guards were kind enough to find mah hat for me. Didn't even realize Ah had dropped it."

The change in subject didn't fool Rainbow. She knew that her friend was more distressed about her injury than she let on, putting on a brave face to spare that distress from transferring. With a slight shake of her head, the pegasus slowly dropped to her haunches.

"I'm so, so sorry," she whispered.

Applejack, struggling not to wake her sister, managed to move her right foreleg and gently nudge the side of Rainbow Dash's head. "Ah said none o' that. You ain't got nothin' to be sorry about."

"B-but, you wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for me!"

"You're right," the earth pony said, her gentle smile unwavering. "That's true enough. But you know what else? Ah'd do it again in a second."

Rainbow gave a small gasp. "What? You would?"

"Absolutely. If it meant bringing you back home where you belong, Ah'd do the whole thing by myself. Your home ain't some musty cave outside the forest, ponygirl - it's with us," Applejack finished. She let her foreleg slowly drop to the floor, the impact underlining her point.

Rainbow Dash let out a heavy sigh. "How have you been able to believe in me for so long?"

"Hey, somepony had to."

"That's all?"

"What else do Ah need? And besides...now Ah'm not the only one," Applejack added, giving a small nod to their gathered friends behind her.

The mares and one dragonling all spent a few moments delighting in their own survival. They celebrated silently, making sure to stay close to each other as a reminder that the others were there. But very few words were shared. The time for talk would come; for those precious moments, all they needed was each other.

A short while later, the doors to the throne room cracked open. The doors themselves had suffered the onslaught of Celestia's power directly, and were thus misaligned. One of Celestia's personal guards, who had been allowed to shed his armor, stepped out after a good deal of pushing.

"Oh, she's awake! Are you all feeling alright?"

Spike, standing closest to the guard, stared right at him. "Ask us a serious question." His sarcasm earned a series of laughs from the mares behind him.

The guard, realizing the absurdity of his question, tried again. "_Ahem_. Yes, well...are you all ready to come in?"

Twilight Sparkle stood and walked up, looking behind the guard into the throne room proper. She hesitated, looked back at Rainbow Dash, then nodded. "Yes, I think now will have to do."

Rainbow turned her head to one side. "What? What's going on?"

"The princesses," Twilight explained. "They want to talk with us about what's going to happen next."

_'Oh, right. Those guards mentioned that back in the hospital...'_ Rainbow Dash recalled. She had momentarily forgotten it against the shock of seeing Applejack in such poor shape.

Applejack wasn't pleased with having to rouse her sister, but after a bit of consoling, she halted another episode of grief and crying on Apple Bloom's part. With the aid of Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash, Applejack was able to stand. The pegasus had offered to carry her friend, to which the earth pony loudly refused.

"Ah ain't some invalid, Rainbow Dash - get me balanced enough and Ah'll do the rest on mah own!"

Rainbow couldn't suppress a good-humored grin. "I'm just trying to help you like you helped me coming back to Ponyville."

"_Huh,_" Applejack scoffed. "If memory serves, Ah helped Rarity a good bit just gettin' to you in the first place. If anythin', _she's_ the one who owes me a favor."

In response, Rainbow Dash turned to look at Rarity, arching her eyebrow in question. "Oh, really? How about it, Rarity?"

The unicorn promptly shook her head. "I think Applejack is perfectly justified in wanting to carry herself."

The group of ten turned inward and entered the throne room, where the guard set about with forcing the askew doors closed once again. The remaining nine continued at a tired pace, taking in the state of affairs. A few overworked guards were busying themselves with debriefing or cleaning up the wreckage. They, like the one before, had been allowed to remove their armor and work voluntarily.

Further along, a pile of shining rubble rested on the raised dais. It was the remains of Celestia's throne, gathered from the town square. A veteran guard stood near it, inspecting the damage and looking like he was weighing values in his mind.

Rainbow led the group forward, but she stopped when a sight made her insides clench. Laid out along the floor were bulging white sheets, resting atop the cold bodies of the ponies who had not been able to escape the storm. Their bodies were hidden beneath the sheets, but the simplicity of it ate at her heart.

She broke away from her friends and walked toward the corpses in a daze. Rainbow looked at them all, her vision unable to discern between one body and the next. What she did notice, however, were the precious few that were much smaller in stature than those surrounding them, as well as shining sets of armor lying near a selection of others.

The pegasus sunk to her haunches after a minute of staring numbly. She hung her head low, her forehead gracing the floor beneath her. The activity in the room went unnoticed as she mourned for those she did not know. At that moment, Rainbow realized that she had never paid her respects to the Wonderbolts. The fact saddened her further.

Her friends had all joined her, emulating her silence as they too paid their respects. Twilight slowly wrapped Spike in her foreleg, drawing him close. Rarity and Applejack mimicked the action, respectively embracing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. The message of death so closely avoided was not lost on the group. They all felt a soft chill come over them.

After a moment, the sound of approaching hooves alerted the friends. Rainbow Dash looked up to see both princesses nearing her, each of them with a look of relief in their eyes. Members of their personal guard flanked them, and they all seemed edgy.

The sisters stopped in front of the group. "You've done it," Luna whispered, unable to hold back a smile that was all her own. "You've all done it."

Rainbow turned her head away, looking back on the cold bodies nearby. Praise meant nothing to her when the consequences were so vivid.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash," Celestia began, seeing her plight. "Do not blame yourself, young one. You've accomplished more than my sister or I could."

"Don't thank me," she replied bitterly.

"Rainbow-"

"How many?"

Celestia and Luna exchanged worried glances, the younger of the two swallowing a dry lump. "Nineteen," Luna finally said, earning a strangled sob from Rainbow Dash. "Eight were from Canterlot, these five here hail from Ponyville, and those six-" she nodded toward the sets of royal armor, "-were members of our palace guard."

"All taken by Alucard," Celestia added, pressing her point. "And Alucard alone. Do you understand?"

But her words fell short. Rainbow's mind became noisy with guilt after hearing how many innocents had died to her enemy's whim. And all for an example in some grander scheme. For an experiment.

'_Nineteen were killed today...no, yesterday. And the Wonderbolts as well...that's twenty-three. I can't...'_

"This isn't fair," she muttered, her throat starting to burn.

Wordlessly, Twilight walked up and put a hoof around Rainbow's withers, gently tugging as she did so. After a moment, Rainbow allowed herself to be led away from the bodies. She and her friends walked, but she didn't pay attention where. She wasn't interested in knowing.

"How are all of you feeling?" Celestia asked without breaking stride.

Twilight gave her friend a firmer hug before answering for the group. "We're fine."

"Can Ah tell you after the drugs've worn off?" Applejack added. She gently shook her head to illustrate her fatigue.

Celestia gave a good-natured nod. "Of course, of course. I hate to keep you all further, especially after everything that's happened, but it's crucial that you answer some questions of our own."

The reversal in role was not lost on the tired group of friends. For once, _Celestia_ had questions.

"But Princess," Twilight began, looking toward her mentor, "you've been through just as much as us. Can't we rest for a bit? If not for our sake, then maybe for yours?"

It was Luna who answered. "We cannot spare the moment. There is unrest in the city, and fear is still running rampant. The public demands answers, and frankly, my sister and I _must_ demand the same."

The two sisters turned and faced the group as Luna finished her response. As Luna had said, she did not spare a moment before continuing. "What happened up there?"

Hesitation arrived and swept over the group. Their struggle was only hours behind them, yet it felt so distant. How much could they remember from the time they were last in the throne room to the time they lost consciousness? How much did they feel comfortable saying? Or a better question, how much did they actually understand at all?

Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash, expecting her to speak up first. This, after all, had been her battle. But her gaze was distant, and it seemed like she hadn't heard the question at all. To Twilight, it looked as though her friend had conquered her demons, only to have traded them for ghosts.

With a sigh, the unicorn released her friend and took a step forward. "I don't quite understand it myself," Twilight said, still looking at the cyan mare. "So much has happened since Rainbow Dash came back to us. It would take longer to explain what happened than to simply tell what happened, and even then..."

"We'll work out the details afterward. Don't explain yet - just tell," Celestia encouraged.

And so she did. Twilight looked to her mentor and began talking, covering the events of the previous afternoon one by one. She told how terrifying and exhilarating the run through the city had been, and how close they had all come to being caught in lightning and then buried beneath rubble. She took a moment to appreciate her first flight, the experience sharpened through hindsight. She spoke of the power of their Elements pooling together to break through Alucard's lightning, and of how Rainbow Dash had been captured as soon as they landed on the clouds. Then she recalled breaking through the dome that separated the pegasus from her friends, noting how instinct had guided her actions.

Rainbow remained silent through the story, her mind a cacophony of thoughts. As her friends carried on with the debriefing, she felt out of place. She knew they were speaking, but the only thing she heard was her own breathing. Suddenly the room felt very confining, and she had to quell an instinct to leave.

"You mean there was another stallion up there?" Celestia asked. Clearly, the story had reached the point of Alucard's secret defense. The two princess spared a moment to look at each other.

"Yeah," Twilight answered, "he was a host to bound magic, just like Rainbow Dash had been."

"Rainbow mentioned that it was Alucard's way of winnin' no matter what," Applejack added. "That he had never been here in the first place."

It looked as though the royal sisters had something to say, but they remained silent. With a nod, they gave the floor back to the Bearers, listening to the rest of the story. Twilight carried on, telling how the magic that was Alucard tried to kill them all, but the power of their Elements had managed to protect them. By her count, the Elements of Harmony had unleashed their full power four times, so it was no mystery why they were all so drained afterward.

"The last thing I remember was being pushed away from the magic," Twilight continued. "I'm not sure what caused it, because I lost consciousness right afterward. And...well, that was it until I woke up in the hospital room."

Luna nodded. "And that's the same for the rest of you as well?"

Affirmative nods came from the group. "Ah managed to stay awake long enough to fall through the clouds, but Ah don't remember anythin' after that," Applejack added, looking back at her friends.

"You fell through the clouds?" asked Fluttershy, clearly shocked.

"Yeah. Think the rest of us did too."

"Oh my!"

Pinkie, Twilight, and Rarity gave similar reactions to the news. Of course they hadn't known because they had lost consciousness just before then. Apple Bloom leaned against her sister's uninjured leg, turning her head toward the floor.

"Odd..." Luna spoke again. "The spell I gave you should have prevented that. It had not been six hours when our pegasi guards caught you."

Twilight had an answer. "There was a lot of magical output during the ordeal. I think maybe the spell was consumed during the fight."

"Hm. That's not unheard of..."

Finally, Rainbow Dash spoke up. She looked straight at Princess Luna. "Wait...you said we were caught?"

The group fell silent for a moment. It seemed they weren't expecting the pegasus to jump back in. "Well, yes," Luna replied. "We were all keeping a watchful eye on the clouds, so we quickly saw you six falling. Our pegasi guards took to the sky once we realized what was happening. Some refugees even joined them and helped save you all."

"We should commend them for that later," Celestia noted.

"Okay, but I'm the only one with a bruise along my side," Rainbow said, confused. "The doctor said I took a bad hit. What happened? Why am I in a worse shape?"

A quick look around confirmed her point. Aside from Applejack's broken leg, Rainbow Dash was the only one with any bandages. Her other friends all looked tired, but were otherwise unhurt. Even Twilight's pain didn't extend beyond phantom aches caused by her direct contact with violent telepathy magic.

For the second time in as many minutes, Luna and Celestia fell silent. They exchanged glances, just as they had done while Twilight was recalling the events against Alucard. It was obvious that there was an answer.

"Rainbow Dash," Celestia began, turning her eyes without moving her head. "The truth is, our guardponies did not catch you. They were only able to reach your friends in time."

Rainbow's eyes went from one alicorn to the other. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"You see..." Luna continued. She took a step forward, meeting Rainbow's gaze dead-center. "Something happened, and we're hoping you can shed some light on it. There was somepony else who caught you before our guards could."

A chill ran up the pegasus' spine. "Y-you don't mean..."

"No, no! It wasn't Alucard...at least we don't believe it was. We've been conducting searches through the city all night, and nothing has turned up so far."

Celestia took a step forward, gaining their attention. "I think it's our turn to tell you what has happened."

* * *

><p>She began by telling of how the sky went eerily quiet following a great flash of light, which could be seen through the malicious clouds. Both Celestia and Luna had remained in the throne room, keeping a constant watch through the gaping hole in the ceiling. At their sides stood what few guards could be spared, mostly those who no longer had duties to perform. Spike and Apple Bloom were among them.<p>

Luna gasped sharply. "That's no ordinary light."

"Yes, it looks like a magical reaction. Something of great magnitude," Celestia agreed, suddenly determined not to blink.

Nobody else breathed a word. The city had fallen silent, no longer beset by dark lightning or growling thunder. The only movement was that of debris within Canterlot, falling prey to the hold of gravity. All else was still - even the ethereal manes of the Royal Sisters were too weakened to flow naturally.

Minutes crawled by like full-length days before anything happened. High above, bits of sky began to show. The cloud layer which protected Alucard was dissolving by the second. It wasn't long before a distant figure was seen, plummeting through the sky. The faintest stream of golden hair whipped along.

Apple Bloom screamed. "_No!_"

With a start, Celestia stood and jumped, instinct demanding she take action. But her injuries brought her down again before she had a chance to spread her wings. "Tch!" she grunted, shaking off the shock. "Get somepony up there!"

Luna was already turning her head. "Bring down the barrier!" she commanded. "Pegasi, full wing! Get up there now!"

Time was precariously short. It wouldn't even be half a minute before Applejack would contact the city streets - assuming she didn't first land on a building. Precious seconds passed by as the order was received, and teams of pegasi were already taking to the air in flocks. Some were not even members of the guard, but citizens and refugees who refused to stand idly by.

The barrier which had shielded them from Alucard's lightning gently faded from existence, its natural light disappearing and leaving a cold darkness behind. Guards and citizens were already passing through where it stood, their wings cutting through the air rapidly.

"No attacks," Luna noted. "The storm has been quiet. Could this mean...?"

'_Please...'_ Apple Bloom quietly thought. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the falling body. _'Please...'_

Then other bodies were seen, falling just as quickly through the darkened sky. The colors of their pelts just barely stood out against the fading clouds, some even less than others. And as the color of orange neared the city - as Applejack fell ever closer to death - the tension within the throne room finally broke. Apple Bloom began to wail. The sound was heart-wrenching, causing Spike to ball his hands so tight his claws began to pierce his own hide. Even Celestia clenched her teeth, unable to do anything else.

At that moment, one pegasi of the guard turned upward sharply, hooking his foreleg around Applejack's chest. The impact instantly caused him to spin in midair, but it slowed the descent long enough for two more pegasi to assist him. One rose up beneath her to support her body, while the third flew against the spin in order to stable the group.

Around them, other groups of pegasi found similar success. Some were able to rescue a mare with only two ponies helping, while others required three or four. One group had caught Rarity, but the initial impact had caused her to roll out of their grasp. However, they managed to turn that slip into a pass toward another team only a few meters below.

It had been just over twenty seconds. Apple Bloom's cries quieted. Spike visibly relaxed, and Celestia's teeth unclenched. But as her eyes focused on each telltale speck of armor and coat color, she began to tense once more.

She counted five groups of pegasi. Who was missing?

Her unspoken question received an immediate answer as Luna took a step forward. "There!" she shouted, violently pointing to a spot higher in the sky. The movement upset her broken wing, and she bit down a cry of pain.

One final form was falling to the city. Above her, small streams of sunlight began to filter through, speeding the destruction of the magical clouds. Her body was framed in one such ray of light, tracking her descent. Rainbow Dash.

Three pegasi who were not holding anypony saw her and spun around. They dived for momentum, arcing upward after a second that felt much longer. The occupants of the throne room tracked their movements, unwilling to feel relief just yet.

But then something else caught Celestia's eye. A seventh form shot down from the clouds, not far from where Applejack or the rest had fallen. This final body was much faster than anyone else in the air, and had easily caught Rainbow long before any of the other pegasi could get close. The mere sight of this seventh body brought a harsh tension back to all who saw it.

"Oh, no..." Celestia whispered. "Is that...did they fail?"

In the sky, the unknown figure began a slow, calculated descent, his form growing larger as he neared the unprotected palace. Even at a distance, the princesses could tell he was struggling to fly upright, though they could not gauge whether it was due to the added weight of Rainbow Dash or something else. However, despite the slow approach, the guards and refugees were apprehensive, keeping their distance as they too carefully glided back to ground zero.

Luna gently touched her sister's foreleg. "The square," she urged.

With a numb nod, Celestia stood and followed her sister out of the throne room. Innumerable hooves followed her in turn, the remainder of the guardsponies. They rushed as quickly as they could, shouting at gathered citizens to make way. Sweetie Belle, who had been helping with the barrier, spotted her friends and managed to join them.

Half a minute later, Celestia, Luna, and their entourage poured through the palace doors into the Canterlot square, where the remains of the throne were scattered. They looked to the sky, spotting the groups of pegasi who had saved their saviors. They each touched down in turn, laying out the unconscious mares as gently as they could, before joining ranks behind the Royal Sisters.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Spike all spotted their friends and family, pushing through the herd to reach them. Spike let out a jubilant shout when he found them all breathing, but was left speechless at the sight of Applejack's mangled limb. Both he and Sweetie Belle consoled Apple Bloom, reminding her that Applejack was still alive.

Finally, the one who had caught Rainbow Dash was seen clearly, and the sight of him was enough to stun Celestia into silence. She had been expecting the dark, menacing look of Alucard, but this was nothing if not the opposite. An alicorn with a white coat, who was barely larger than Luna. He seemed focused and confused, his eyes darting from the ground to the mare he was holding.

A moment later, he touched down in front of Celestia and Luna, but he immediately looked to the gathered guards. "Here, take her," he said between labored panting. "I-I think I might have hurt her."

With a few seconds of hesitation, the royal guards moved forward and allowed Rainbow Dash to be settled across their backs. They moved as a unit to in front of the palace doors, where the rest of the Bearers lay.

The unknown stallion looked toward Celestia and Luna, immediately nodding toward them. "I'm sorry," he said.

Luna didn't reply, surprised as she was by the third alicorn. However, Celestia didn't stay silent. "Detain him," she ordered. A set of her personal guards instantly took a step forward.

When he heard the command, the white stallion jumped off and began to hover, keeping himself a few yards away. Celestia bared her teeth, more wary than angry. "Stay right where you are!" she called.

"I'm sorry, I can't!"

Luna stepped forward. "How dare you. After all that's happened, and you would defy us?"

"Listen, if staying would undo all of this, I would stay. But Alucard is moving forward with his plan, and this time it's _my_ homeland on the line. I can't stay here!"

"Homeland?" Luna looked to her sister, but didn't receive a glance back. "You're a foreigner, too?"

But he wasn't listening. "All of you have gone through enough...there's no need for you to do any more. This is my responsibility now!"

Celestia finally returned her sister's gaze. Unspoken questions danced between them. "Responsibility?" she echoed, facing the stallion again. "Actions have taken place here, actions that must be answered."

"And Alucard _will_ answer for them, I swear."

The elder sister shook her head. "I cannot let you leave!"

Then, utter defiance. "Leader, you do not control me."

"Leader?"

"Listen, tell that one-" he quickly gestured to Rainbow Dash's unconscious form, "-not to worry. Her part in this is over now. I won't stop until things are made right."

Celestia shook her head again, taking a firm step forward. "No!"

"I'm going to make things right!" he called, turning away and gaining height. With a strong push on his wings, he gained speed and began putting distance between himself and the square. A few pegasi guards pushed off in pursuit, but the white stallion was far quicker than they could ever be. Within seconds, any hope of catching up to him was lost.

Celestia took a few steps forward as he flew away, a guttural sound coming from her voice. She watched as his form sped through the air before finally hooking eastward and disappearing beyond the mountainside. A few moments later, her guards returned to her, asking for orders.

Her sight went unfocused as her mind became noisy with questions. Who was that alicorn? What purpose did he have in all this? Was he in league with Alucard? But if he was, why did he take time to save Rainbow Dash? And if he wasn't Alucard's ally, was he instead Celestia's? Or were there other forces in play that were beyond her sight?

She remained like that for some time before a pressure on her foreleg drew her attention. Luna was gently tugging at her, motioning back toward the palace. With a confused grunt, Celestia looked back and finally noticed what was still waiting for her.

Grouped near her were dozens of her guards and officers, all tired and more confused than she. They needed direction. At the seams of the castle doorways were Canterlot citizens and Ponyville refugees, pushing against each other in the hope for answers to their own questions. And between those two groups was a line of unconscious mares, their features split between peaceful sleep and agonizing pain. Their loved ones moved among them, comforting each other with constant reminders that the ponies at their hooves and feet were still breathing.

Then Celestia noticed how easily she could see them. The day had grown progressively brighter, and she remembered how the clouds had vanished. Sunlight streamed down upon them all, undeniable proof that the day had been won. Even if she felt helpless, confused, and defeated, they had been spared.

After another moment, Celestia closed her eyes and swallowed dryly. She didn't have any options.

"Princess!" one of the pegasi called out. "Perhaps we can still follow him! Should we give chase?"

The only thing she could do...

"No," she answered. "We...will not give chase."

Luna looked up, herself surprised by the decision.

"Pegasi, send a message to ready the medical wing," Celestia ordered, her voice just above a whisper. "Get those six over there, and keep them separated from the other wounded if you can. And form search parties for the city...sweep the buildings and roads for any hint of Alucard or his power."

A few seconds passed before the few pegasi still in the air touched down, moving toward Twilight Sparkle and her companions. With the help of Spike and Sweetie Belle, the unconscious mares were each set atop the back of a guard, who carefully began walking back inside the palace. The crowded herd at the doorway immediately parted for them. Other pegasi slowly paired and began flying through the city, wordlessly navigating toward the empty buildings.

"Earth ponies," Celestia continued, unable to open her eyes, "walk the city. Bring in the dead. T-...try not to miss anyone."

She hated having to give that order, and the guards in question immediately felt uncomfortable. They were prepared for death, but not of those they were supposed to protect. Without a word, the gathered guards began moving in a slow march. Three of them immediately went for the fallen mother and daughter who were struck down not far away.

"What magic remains, unicorns?" she asked.

"Your Highness," one of the remaining guards answered. "We're tired, but not beaten. What do you need us to do?"

Finally, Celestia opened her eyes. There only remained twenty or so guards near her, all unicorns. She could see in there eyes that she had not been lied to - there remained a desire to act, even though their morale was all but trampled. She was thankful for that.

"Bring sheets to the throne room. Make sure they're large enough to cover a body. And some of you will need to carry that back as well." She pointed to a spot further away, where chunks of gold and crimson were strewn about. The remains of the royal throne, reduced to dented rubble.

Around her, activity slowly began. Weakened magic was called upon to move the throne back inside, while the passing-by of other guards went back and forth. Celestia lost touch with what was happening around her. She closed her eyes again, trying very hard to think if there were any other options available to her.

Several seconds went by unnoticed before Celestia's eyes opened again. Standing directly in front of her was her sister, looking up. They gazed at each other, neither saying a word. Unlike other instances, they were not able to gauge each others' thoughts - this time, both were at a total loss.

Slowly, Luna took a step forward and pressed her head against Celestia's breast. Her foreleg soon rose up and gripped her sister. Celestia took a few shaky breaths, her eyes glazing over. Then finally..._finally_, she allowed herself to relax, slumping her shoulders and gently bringing Luna closer into their hug. Dry sobs tore through her throat as the anger and frustration was allowed out at last. Celestia wasn't able to properly cry, instead forced to a pitiful pile of hiccups and strained groans.

Luna closed her eyes as her sister lost herself to the emotion. The younger sibling also allowed her body to go limp, letting all of her gathered tension out in one long, saddened sigh. She heard the _clack_ of hooves against pavement as their guards went about their tasks, but soon the sounds seemed far away.

The two Royal Sisters remained like that for a while, neither speaking and neither moving. Deep down, they _knew_ that they had earned a victory...but the sight of their destroyed city felt like a defeat, and the lifeless bodies being carried around them were like haunting ghosts.

* * *

><p>By the time Celestia finished telling her side of the story, the entire room had stopped to listen. She rested on her haunches while Luna remained standing at her side. After a moment, Celestia released a sigh, trying her best not to break again.<p>

"Luna was barely able to move the moon back into the sky. We both came back inside, and have been here ever since. And we first heard about one of you regaining consciousness a little past midnight, about four hours ago. Everything else is as you see," she concluded, briefly nodding toward the state of the throne room.

A moment of silence followed her words, prompting ponies to turn their heads and reconsider the area. Piles of dust and rubble were pushed against a far wall, beneath the gaping hole in the ceiling. Cool night air came through unfiltered, bringing a chill to the neck of anypony caught in a breeze. The remains of the throne were left unattended, while the rows of dead bodies were surrounded by guards both in and out of uniform. And off to one side rested the empty chest that would normally contain the Elements of Harmony.

Rainbow Dash had kept her gaze stern during Celestia's story. When the silence proved too much, she broke it. "You didn't go after him?"

Luna shook her head, but it was Celestia who spoke. "No, we didn't have a choice."

"No choice?"

"Correct. Between the destruction of Canterlot, the lives that were claimed, and you six nearly killed, our only option was to recover ourselves."

"So you let that guy get away. After everything that's happened, all that I could ask him, you just let him escape?"

Celestia, Luna, and the other Bearers of Harmony looked at Rainbow Dash. She was scowling, her tail twitching in poorly-hidden aggravation. She was more upset than angry.

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash," Celestia quietly spoke. "We didn't know who he was or what he was capable of. Luna and I were counting on all of you to answer _our_ questions, but the truth eluded all of you as well."

Rainbow held back a snort. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"Well, what do you know about that stallion, Rainbow? And not what Twilight has told us...what do you _really know_ about him?"

The pegasus was about to give an answer when she realized she lacked one. She paused, her mouth moving with no sound being made, her eyes blinking as she considered the few things she had learned.

Finally, she settled on the only thing she could think of. "He was the missing band member, from the one that toured Ponyville a long time ago."

Celestia gave a small nod. "You see, not knowing who or what that alicorn is prevents me from taking any action. Especially when so much happened here that I needed to address."

Luna jumped in. "It sounds like he was another victim of binding magic, like you were. That much you've already figured out. But since he was capable of such fast flight, any chance we had of catching him was little to none. The truth is he was simply in a better condition that anypony else."

"Fast flying?" Rainbow echoed, her tail twitching again. "Well, I was the fastest pegasus in Ponyville! I...I can do the Sonic Rainboom! Maybe _I_ can catch him!"

At the suggestion, Fluttershy stepped forward and draped her wing across Rainbow's backside. "Rainbow Dash, please...no. It's been so long already. Even you can't catch up by now."

The cyan pegasus shook her head, not accepting the response. "No, no, there has to be a way. I can do _something_, I just don't know what!"

"There really isn't, young one," Celestia replied. She got a sour look before continuing. "Whoever that alicorn is, he is right about one thing: your part in this entire affair is over."

"No, I can...I can..."

Finally, Celestia stood. Rainbow looked at her, desperate for a reason to keep fighting. Their eyes met, Rainbow's dancing and wild while Celestia's were gentle.

"You've done all you can," the princess softly said. She stepped forward and lifted Rainbow's chin with her hoof, keeping their gazes connected. "When my sister and I failed, you and your friends flew up there and halted Alucard's plan. You six accomplished more than anypony here could, but now your job is done.

"Whatever happens from now on is a burden that I must bear. There are serious consequences that must be faced, changes that must be made, and demands that must be met. The populations of two cities have just survived destruction; some of them will call for blood. And above all, I need to consider how to be better prepared in case Alucard decides to return."

Luna took a step forward. "We have to know, Rainbow Dash...does he intend to return? Must we face the biggest threat to Equestria once more?"

Rainbow swallowed a lump in her throat. The memory of her battle against Alucard burned her as much as his magic. After a moment, she pulled her head out of Celestia's grasp and looked down. "No," she muttered. "He said that Equestria is worthless to him. He never intended to claim it...he just wanted to practice on us."

"_Practice_, you say?" Luna practically spat the word. "Practice with lives, indeed. I pity those he _does_ intend to rule."

"B-but that's why we should keep looking!" the pegasus shouted. Her eyes went wild again. "Somewhere out there, he's threatening other ponies! We have to help them somehow!"

"Rainbow Dash?" called a voice behind her.

Rainbow turned her head to look at her gathered friends. Unlike her, they were not hoping for a reason to keep fighting. They were tired and confused, and each of them longed for things to go back to normal.

Twilight Sparkle was the one who had spoken. She looked away for a moment, seemed to reach a decision, then looked back up. "I understand why you want to find Alucard. I felt the same way about trying to find _you_ when you left us four years ago."

Rainbow's eyes widened. She had nearly forgotten her own wrongdoings in the wake of her enemy's.

"Listen," Twilight continued, "back then, I devoted every waking moment to finding you. I wanted so badly to help you in the only way I knew how. But I had nothing, Rainbow, absolutely nothing to lead me to you. I've always regretted giving up my research, but the fact remained that I had no information. That same fact is here, now, with all of this. And this is so much bigger than us."

"We want you back, dear," Rarity added. "We've always wanted you back home."

Twilight nodded. "You were lost to us for four years because of what Alucard did. Please don't put us through that anymore. We can't stand to lose you again."

She took another step and brought Rainbow in for a tight hug, one that conveyed how desperately she wanted her friend to stay. Rainbow looked at her, lifting a foreleg to touch hers, unable to return the embrace properly.

"But you said this was bigger than us..." she whispered. "This could involve so much more, couldn't it?"

"I don't know, Rainbow, I just don't know."

"Rainbow Dash," Luna pitched in again, "this _is_ more than just you and your friends. And to be honest, this is one mystery that's best left unsolved, if for nopony's sake but your own.

Rainbow Dash gently pulled away from the hug, turning to look at the princesses again. "I've lost so much to this monster, and you're all asking me to just stop here. How can you say these things? How can I _possibly_ move on?"

Nopony answered for five whole seconds. Then Luna cleared her throat. "I know you can."

"How?" she challenged.

Luna gave her a grim frown, beating back a bitter memory. "Because you're not the only one here who was once swallowed in darkness, then brought back to the light."

The realization struck home. Rainbow held her breath, looking at Luna for what felt like the first time. Of course, the younger princess had more experience with darkness and evil than any of them. She had once tried what Alucard had done - overtaking Equestria and defeating its ruler. And in the wake of her history, four years in a cave seemed like nothing.

Rainbow Dash looked down, coming to terms with what she was being asked to do. She was affected more than anypony else by Alucard, of course...but there was nothing prompting her to seek him out other than her own sense of loyalty. He had already accomplished what he came to Equestria to do, so he had no reason to come back unless his pride demanded it. But even that wasn't true, because he had said how his destiny was elsewhere in the world. Surely his calling would leave little room for revenge.

The more she thought about it, the fewer reasons she found to go after him. Even the white alicorn she had seen while fighting Alucard seemed to be his victim. If his homeland was threatened, then it really was up to him now. She had no means of finding where he came from, and nothing to suggest he wouldn't continue where she left off. Besides, she had wanted to make things right with Spitfire and her friends...hadn't she done that?

Rainbow swallowed again. "I...need to think..."

A few seconds passed by without a response, so Rainbow slowly moved toward a window that had been blown out. She sat down in front of it, gazing into the early-morning sky. Members of the guard gave her a respectable berth, not that she noticed them - the events of the last week were all catching up to her, and all she could see were memories.

After a moment watching her walk away, her friends slowly began to move, breaking into pairs and drifting around the room in search of a place to rest. Twilight looked down at Spike, who was gazing at Rainbow Dash with a concerned expression.

"Perhaps we should all find some rest," Celestia began. "We're not likely to learn anything more tonight."

Twilight looked up at her mentor, a thought hitting her. "Actually...there is something."

Celestia and Luna both looked at her. "Something?" Luna echoed. "Like what?"

"I...really don't know how to describe it," Twilight stammered. "I just need to tell you both about what I saw."

"I don't understand...you saw something?"

The unicorn gave a nod, nudging Spike to give her some privacy. The dragonling hesitated before walking away, joining his other friends across the room. With the attention of both princesses on her, Twilight took a breath and began.

"It's what I saw when trying to unbind Alucard from the other stallion. Something in his soul."

* * *

><p><span><strong>End PART A of chapter<strong> **seventeen**

Author's note: Please be aware that the above content is a SEGMENT of the entire chapter. Part two will feature the final two scenes and the proper end of the chapter.


	18. Kindred Spirits, Parts B and C

**Rain without Rainbows**

**Kindred Spirits**

Minutes crawled by in a dull roar. A steady supply of castle guards, who had taken the opportunity to rest, relieved those who protected the throne room in shifts. Eventually, a silent decision was reached to leave the damaged door open instead of fighting to close it each time. After all, none of the refugees of Ponyville nor citizens of Canterlot were actually encroaching on the room - they too were forced to break away for rest. The early morning continued on, convincing ponies of all caliber to sleep in whatever form of comfort they could find.

Within the throne room itself, movement slowed. The princesses had run out of tasks to carry out, instead maintaining a cautious watch with their guardponies for any lingering power of Alucard. Pegasi still flew in and out as pairs, but the sense of urgency was depleted. In lieu of haste, they opted for persistence. The Bearers of Harmony did not share the mindset. They and their loved ones were just happy to be alive.

Rarity sat with Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, quietly talking about mundane matters to keep their minds off of the nightmare. Applejack and Apple Bloom were nearby, both lying still with their eyes open. Spike was curled up near them, doing enough sleeping for all three. Twilight Sparkle remained with Celestia and Luna, talking in hushed tones about the nightmare.

But Rainbow Dash was alone. She remained by the window, silent and thoughtful, as the world kept moving. She had looked down and considered her Element of Harmony several times before finally removing the necklace altogether. It rested on the floor at her hooves, catching what little light came her way from lamps and the moon.

'_Is this really the end of it?'_ Rainbow's thoughts kept repeating.

She could not shake the nagging feeling of uselessness, like there were still more tasks to carry out. She did not see Alucard die, and when she realized that, she wondered if that part of him was capable of death at all. Rainbow was by no means as well-read as Twilight, but she knew well enough that magic and life were still different things.

If he was still alive, then it fell to her to stop him again. She had to, right? After all that had happened to her and her home, it wouldn't be right to just let him enact whatever other plans he had. She felt a sense of duty to stand in his way.

Rainbow shook her head. _'No, no,'_ she mentally chided, _'that's suicidal. The Alucard I know was just a part of him, The _real_ him would be much stronger than anything I could prepare for. We barely beat him at all.'_

Then it became the responsibility of that other stallion. Whoever he was, he had something in common with her - Alucard had bound to him. And even though she didn't know the other victim, he had still promised to pick up where she left off. Besides, if it was his home under threat now, she had no right to step in. Whatever happened next was not her responsibility. She had done enough.

But once again, a single thought caused her to doubt that. _'Get up, and move forward.'_

Rainbow Dash sighed, gingerly rubbing her bruised midsection. The phrase had given a drive to her reason, ultimately allowing her to stand up to Alucard at all. Spitfire had demanded that of her, and Rainbow could not be sure if she had done enough. The Wonderbolts were gone forever. Her lifelong dream had been taken from her, and simply beating Alucard back was hardly enough for the deaths he had caused.

So what else could she do? There had to be something.

"Attention, everypony!"

Rainbow looked up. Across the throne room, Celestia and Luna were standing side-by-side. Neither seemed very strong, but Luna was speaking with authority.

The moon regent looked over the room's occupants, satisfied at the eyes looking back. "I want you all to bear witness. Consider this an official proclamation."

Luna waited a moment, then turned and focused her gaze directly on Rainbow Dash. The intensity of the stare caught her off-guard.

"Rainbow Dash of Ponyville has indeed returned to us. Four years ago, she was lost to us in the wake of a disaster which claimed four cherished lives and disabled a fifth. She fled her home out of fear and confusion, all of which stemmed from the deaths of four Wonderbolts. In that matter, let it be known that I, Princess Luna of Equestria, do hereby absolve Rainbow Dash of that crime!"

Rainbow couldn't hold back a gasp. Had she heard right?

"Recent events have proven that she bears no fault for the act," Luna continued. "Furthermore, on behalf of those protected yesterday, I extend my heartfelt thanks to her and her incomparable friends, all of whom stepped in and halted the utter destruction of our land. The six of them have saved us!"

To her side, Celestia looked down at Luna with a proud smile. It was clear that the elder sister had given away the right to speak, allowing Luna to behave like the Princess she was.

"Over the last several days, my sister and I have been closely involved with these six friends. We all worked together to make this miracle possible, but it was the actions of these ponies that made the miracle happen. They have endured joy and hardship, and I am proud to say that I have learned from _them_. Let no ill will come to them, for they are heroes!"

The room was suddenly loud with scattered applause. The stomps of hooves on stone carried through the hallways and caused the wrecked doors to shudder on their hinges. Some guards even resorted to cheering and whooping despite their fatigue. Luna and Celestia walked toward Rainbow Dash amid the noise.

When she reached the pegasus, Luna extended a foreleg. "You've gone through more than most can imagine," she said. "For all that you've suffered and everything you've stood to defend, I thank you."

"We could not have done this without you," Celestia added. She bowed her head to Rainbow's level. "The rest is up to us now."

Rainbow Dash hesitated, looking to the offered hoof and between the two sisters. She slowly lifted her foreleg in response, curling her hoof around Luna's. They shook, Luna passing on her respect for the mare, Rainbow acting out of surprise.

Luna gently pulled away and smiled. She and her elder sister turned and walked away, leaving Rainbow with the applause in the room. That, too, eventually died away, returning the air to a dull roar.

Rainbow looked down at her hoof, then back to her Harmony artifact. Her first thought was a realization - everything had just changed. Not just the actions of the last several hours or few days, but every choice and action of her years away from home. Suddenly her panicked flight away from Ponyville was redeemed, and her apology to Spitfire felt more complete. The guilt she felt for her attempted suicide was heavier, while the memory of her loneliness during her hiding stung a little less. Her hatred for Alucard and all he had done burned hotter.

But above all, it made her questions of whether or not to chase him grow louder. She wanted to stop him...but now she lacked a reason. She had been declared innocent.

'_They called me a hero.'_

In that moment of thought, Rainbow's mind went blank. Her entire drive for acting up to this point had been taken away from her in an announcement of gratitude. She had lived with guilt and shame for four years, but now it was gone. All that remained were memories, accomplishments, and regrets.

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. _'This feels...light. Like a feather. What is this feeling called?'_

"Right here'll do."

Rainbow turned her head, seeing Applejack and Apple Bloom barely a yard away. The younger was helping her sister to rest against the wall, on the other end of the window Rainbow Dash had occupied. With a grunt, the elder sister landed on her rump and grimaced as pain shot up her injured leg. Apple Bloom looked up in a panic.

"Easy, now, it's okay," Applejack reassured. "Ah'll be fine in a minute."

Apple Bloom leaned in and nuzzled her sister. "You'd better be. No more flyin' for ya, understand?"

The elder mare gave a light laugh. "Ah've had my fill, little sis. Don't you worry none."

Satisfied, Apple Bloom stifled a yawn and walked away. She and Sweetie Belle joined Spike, who had been awoken from the noise. The three of them laid next to each other, letting sleep wash over them one by one.

Applejack gave a light sigh. "Y'know, she made me promise to tell her everythin' that's happened as payback for scarin' her."

_'Regrets...'_

Rainbow Dash looked at her friend, giving the barest smirk. "Yeah, well, just try to make it sound happy."

"Heh. 'Happy' eh?" The farm mare gave the pegasus a sidelong glance. "That's not you askin' me to _lie_, now, is it?"

"No, no. Just...I don't know, leave out the parts where I tried to starve myself to death."

Applejack smiled, but the memory made her hesitate. "No can do. Ah gotta tell her, if only so she can hear about that delicious mushroom ya snacked on."

"I-ah...I'm sorry it wasn't an apple, okay?"

"Ah'll forgive you later."

"And Applejack," Rainbow continued, her voice dropping. "About...that. I don't know if I've said it yet, but I am sorry."

After a second, the earth pony turned her head to look at her friend properly, genuinely confused. "What do ya mean, 'about that'? You don't mean _this_ again, do you?" she asked, using her good foreleg to point to her bad one.

Rainbow shook her head. "I mean about trying to kill myself," she hissed.

Applejack's eyebrows shot up, and her mouth opened in surprise. "Oh, uh..." she managed, but no further.

"I'm serious," the pegasus went on, closing her eyes in guilt. "What I tried to do was wrong, and cowardly, and I only went with you because I knew it would be my only chance. I lied to you and Rarity, I betrayed both of you, and our friends walked in on it, and they were confused and hurt and...and I was hurting...I just didn't know what to do, and I'm sorry. Damn it, I'm sorry!"

Applejack didn't reply, only giving her friend a gaze that spoke more than she could.

"I just...need to tell you. I don't even care if you can't forgive me for that, I just needed to say it...I need to _know_ you know." Rainbow fell silent, biting her tongue before she completely fell apart.

The two friends didn't speak for a moment. Applejack tried to rein in her thoughts, deciding which one was what she actually wanted to say. Nothing seemed to work - she had, after all, felt terribly betrayed by what Rainbow Dash had done. Rarity had forgiven her in the last day, true, but Applejack wasn't one to abandon her beliefs so quickly.

It wasn't that she needed reason. Applejack had plenty of _reason _to forgive. No, this required time.

"Okay, so Ah was wrong about earlier," she murmured, turning away. "Guess you _do_ have somethin' to be sorry for after all."

Rainbow didn't reply, but she turned away as well.

"Look," Applejack began, "Ah won't deny that what you did...er, tried to do, rather...it hurt me. After all the effort we went to in order to bring you home, and Luna going the extra mile to save you, and then you dump that on us? It just..." She trailed off, humming over words she couldn't describe. "Ya know somethin'? It's hard to not look back on all the years we spent in Ponyville. The good ol' days, yeah?"

The pegasus gave a stiff nod. "The good old days."

"We had a lot of fun. You, me, our friends, the whole town...each day was ripe for the pickin'. Ah don't wanna forget all that, especially now that we got you here. Too many good things have happened durin' that time. You remember the Running of the Leaves at the end of each fall? Ah've been doin' enough running for us both. And wrappin' up winter, and Pinkie's parties, and helping Twilight with her over-the-top book-lovin', and everythin' else that really mattered.

"So Ah don't wanna forget that, right? But it's also really hard not to see you lyin' on the library floor, thin as a board and trembling like a school filly caught in a lie. It was bad enough seein' you like that, but the truth was even worse. Rarity figured it out first...she told me about that magic again, how it was keepin' you alive and all, and that what you were doin' right there was dying in front of us. Well, she didn't actually _say_ that part, but it was enough."

Applejack paused, taking a breath. In the brief moment of silence, she spared a look at her friend. Rainbow kept her gaze down, unable or unwilling to witness her shame laid out in front of her.

"Listen, Ah don't blame you," Applejack finally continued. "What happened to you is something none of us can appreciate. You went through it all, you were stuck in fear, you chose to try suicide...it's all a big mess of stuff that Ah don't know nothin' about, so Ah ain't got the right to blame you for anythin'. But it still hurts, what you did. And Ah reckon it's gonna keep hurtin' for a while yet."

Rainbow shook her head. "I never wanted to hurt anypony."

"Yeah, we know that much," the farm mare replied with a grunt. "That, and that you're scared of lightning now. Think you'll ever get over that?"

"What, are you serious? There's no way I can go back to how I was."

At that, Applejack gave a quick nod. "A part of me feels the same way, ya know?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's like...oh, how can Ah explain it...look, as much as Ah'm happy to see you alive an' all, a part of me doesn't want to let go of your lie. It's that part that's keeping me from actually forgiving you just yet. Maybe it's a matter of time, and Ah hope that's all it is, but Ah know that things can't go back to how they were. Doesn't matter how much Ah want it to."

Applejack hesitated again, looking down at her splint. "Sorta like these broken bones, really. Ah'm still wrappin' mah head around this. Just a week ago, it was a sunny day, full of chores that needed doin'. But now, here Ah am, useless except for talkin'. And no amount of wishful thinkin' or desperate forcin' will make this better before its time."

Rainbow looked up at her friend again, also considering the broken limb. The sight made her insides turn.

"Maybe that's all Ah really need. Time to get better and be stronger for it... Ah s'pose it's just me repeating what Ah said a moment ago."

The pegasus blinked. "What's that?"

To her surprise, Applejack smiled at her. "Ah'll forgive you later. Right now just ain't the time."

Rainbow Dash heaved a sigh of relief, returning the smile with one of her own. That was as good as she was going to get, and far more than she deserved. The lightweight feeling was stronger.

"Now Ah got a question for _you_."

"Hm? What's on your mind?"

Applejack chuckled softly. "It's _your_ mind that's worryin' me. Are you just gonna look outside all day, or are ya actually gonna get up and get your head together sometime soon?"

Rainbow blinked, looking between her friend and the window. Had she been so obvious? "Oh, uh..." she stammered, rubbing her foreleg in a sign of anxiety. "I don't...I don't want to scare anypony by suddenly leaving, and..."

"Oh, stop it," the farm mare interrupted. "Everypony needs a moment to themselves. You most of all...so much has happened to you. Nobody'll blame you for wantin' a few moments alone to get away from all this."

Applejack nodded toward the center of the room, indicating the collective damage and recovery. Rainbow Dash passed her gaze over the room once more, swallowing when she saw the departed. The option to leave was tempting, and she had considered it several times since she had stepped away, but it felt wrong to her.

"I don't know..." she muttered.

"Rainbow," her friend began, her tone that of a stern mother. "You're doin' yourself no favors by just swimming in doubts here. Ah can see how much you're still hurtin', and it's hurtin' the rest of us too. Your confusion, the anger, the sadness...it's all there, plain as day. Now Ah'm _telling_ you - get away from here for a while. Clear your head. And we'll all have a great big dinner back home for ya tonight."

Rainbow was touched. In spite of all her mistakes, all her decisions and sins, she still had friends willing to take her back. Willing to accept her along with any flaws and consequences. Guilty or innocent, fugitive or hero, they wanted her back where she belonged.

'_Home, huh? I haven't had one of those in a long time.'_

Reaching a decision, Rainbow Dash nodded to her friend and looked up to the broken window. She collected her necklace of Loyalty, holding it in her hoof as she stood.

"Looks like it'll be a quiet morning," she mused, spreading her wings to their full span.

Her friend gave a smile, but didn't reply. A moment later, there was a rush of air, the sound of flapping wings, and then Rainbow was gone.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash slowly rose to the airspace above Canterlot, getting her first real look at the city since her self-imposed exile. The storm had demolished well over half of the city, exposing the innards of buildings and leaving regurgitated rubble along every street. A few fountains in the city had been damaged, spilling their contents to the ground and forming their own network of miniature rivers.<p>

The palace, however, was much better off. A testament to the quick thinking of the princess and the guard, most of the royal estate was unharmed. In fact, the throne room was damaged the most, and that had been before the lightning came down. A few anxious ponies were wandering the various towers in unrest, and Rainbow Dash easily spotted their movements in the lamps they carried.

The pegasus glided around the city for a few minutes before her bruised body forced her to land. She settled on the roof of one of the towers, casting her gaze skyward. The morning was young and dark, the moon bringing the greatest light. Rainbow caught herself thinking about nothing in particular as she drew patterns in the stars.

After a few minutes spent resting, Rainbow lowered her head. She couldn't keep her thoughts at bay forever.

_'I guess it really is out of my hooves now. What more can I do, seriously? I can't go chasing after some alicorn I don't know anything about just because I want to. I need to stay here and help in whatever ways I can.'_

But then Spitfire's words sounded in her mind again. _"I won't let you stay down. Now get up. Get up, and move forward."_

She let her mind go noisy again, barely considering each errant thought. The idea of volunteering for reconstruction came and went, shortly followed by what she could do as a temporary guard. Ideas entered and left, sorting themselves out with no real direction.

One thought made her head lift up, and she searched for something she would have avoided a week ago. In the embrace of night, her sight was limited, but the outlines of the palace grounds still gave away what she saw. Within minutes, she spotted her target and glided down from the tower.

Her destination was a wide-open field with small pillars of stone carefully placed throughout. The city's graveyard. Even this part of the city hadn't escaped damage, though thankfully nothing extended beyond the edge of the site's boundary. Rainbow was grateful, because she was able to find the four gravestones she sought after only a few minutes of searching.

On a small hill were the four stones, each one emblazoned with the bolt-and-wings emblem of the Wonderbolts. Alongside them was a small monolith summarizing their lives and accomplishments, which ended by saying how they were all taken from the world far too early. On the front of that monolith was a golden badge, a symbol for those in the Wonderbolts that identified a leader. The badge was a permanent fixture, yet still had the telling hints of use across its surface. Rainbow correctly guessed that it had been Spitfire's personal badge. The captain had left it with her team.

Rainbow Dash didn't talk. She merely lowered her head and paid her respects to her idols, silently apologizing for all that had happened to them. A few minutes further, and her head rose again, soft sounds of sniffling the only life amidst the dead.

With a sudden push, she leapt into the air once more, ignoring the dull ache in her side as her bruise made itself known. Small strands of the bandages on her body began to curl and peel against the agitation, but she ignored them. She flew hard, pushing her body against its own strain, and rose as though something were chasing her. But the only things she had were her thoughts and her Element.

Rainbow sobbed suddenly and came to a full stop. She had reached the troposphere, a small wisp of cloud just a few yards to her side. Looking around revealed other clouds, spread out across the expanse. A few stray tears fell off her muzzle and fell to the earth. She shook her head and wiped away the rest, trying her hardest not to completely break down.

"I'm sorry, Spitfire..." she muttered to the air. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to move forward."

With a deep breath, Rainbow turned downward and began to glide back to Canterlot. Five full seconds later, she angled west, away from the city and the mountains. And a few seconds after that, she let her breath go in a long exhale.

Rainbow flew at a steady speed, despite having reached the limit of her endurance long ago. The dawn would be upon her soon, and she wanted to put as much distance between herself and her regrets as she could. And if she could evade the dawn simply by moving away from it, then all the better.

It wasn't long before she found herself coasting above the thick boughs and tangled vines of Everfree. The forest seemed like a world unto itself, peaceful and ignorant of the disaster so narrowly averted. She spotted the far edge of the woodland, beyond which was the lonely cave she had hidden in for so long.

Rainbow kept on flying. The bandage around her foreleg was unwrapping, so she placed her Loyalty necklace in her mouth to tend to the fabric. After two failed attempts to re-wrap the bandage, she simply took it off completely and let it float to the earth. Rushing air irritated the spot where her IV had been.

When she looked up again, she spotted the border of the nearby town. Ponyville. The hamlet she once called home, and could call home once again. A moment later, her hooves touched down on the edge of the town.

With quiet steps, Rainbow slowly entered Ponyville properly, looking at each building and mailbox with newfound appreciation. The town had noticeably expanded in the years she had been gone. But much remained the same - the shops, the carts, the homely dirt roads. Even the scent had remained unchanged, the air sweetened with the aroma of grass and dust.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and enjoyed a moment of peace. Her home was still there, awaiting her return, almost as though it had always known she would come back one day.

"So...the main road," she muttered to herself. "I always had to make sure weather patterns were centered around here. It leads into the town square and the mayor's office, and Applejack would always have a big cart to sell her treats along the way."

She took light steps along the path, not at all interested in being hasty. Truth be told, her head remained filled with doubts and questions despite her mouth making observations. Both were attempts to drown out the other.

"I wonder if she let Apple Bloom work the stand again. After the mix-up with her cutie mark obsession-"

'_This is all I have now? Coming back to Ponyville and letting Celestia take over?'_

"-likely to ban her from selling apples at all! Oh, right, and the bakery is over there...Sugarcube Corner. I haven't had a good-"

'_Why does this make me feel so useless, then? It's like I'm being asked to sit still even though I have the answer right in front of me! Nopony will let me reach for it!'_

"-long, long time. Is that...? No, no, she had a temporary stage. I don't think she'd come live here after being humiliated by Twilight-"

'_Ugh, but is that really so bad? All I needed to do was make things right, and I've done that. At least, I hope I have. There's nothing else that I actually _need_ to do, is there?'_

"-she would make _me_ look humble. I bet if I- oh, what? What happened there? ...oh, that was probably when Alucard's magic arrived. My friends told me how it tore out some walls-"

'_I...I feel so confused. Did I make things right? Or did I just push some problems on to other ponies? And how can I move forward if nopony will let me?'_

"-nearly killed her. Right here. If Luna hadn't...oh, man, I need to thank her for saving Twilight. For saving the town. She really came through in more ways than-"

'_Since when have I needed other ponies to tell me what to do? Well, since I started caring more about them than me. And that's been for a long time. So it's not about me at all? Even if I feel useless?'_

Rainbow's two-sided monologue continued for a while further, during such time she found herself no closer to closure. Each question seemed to answer itself, but never gave her a solution. It was like she had been promised freedom a long time ago, only to discover that the freedom she had earned was not the kind she had expected.

Eventually, she found herself on the other side of town, stopped next to the library and staring at scorched earth. The area was where Luna and the Canterlot unicorns had held the dark magic captive for several days. The fact that Twilight lived in the library gave Rainbow Dash a shudder - sleeping and reading while a killer was literally outside her window.

"Hmmph," she growled. Her anxieties were giving way to frustrations. "I can't just stand around doing nothing. I can't go chasing down somepony I don't know. So what am I supposed to do? Can't somepony tell me _that_?"

She turned away, looking back toward Ponyville, when something caught her gaze. Something in the air, hovering completely still, a presence she had not noticed in the dark. She focused on it, all of her worries giving way to confusion. After all, what she was looking at shouldn't have existed.

"What the...what? How...?"

She was looking at her cloud home. A grand, billowy structure made possible by pegasi craft, imposing and welcoming at the same time. Even from the ground, Rainbow Dash spotted the supporting columns and spouts for liquid rainbow to pour. The latter had run dry a long time ago, leaving colorful stains against the pure white of the cumulonimbus.

But the fact that she could see _any_ of it was disturbing. Pegasus nature demanded the need to constantly move about, and that also applied to any dwellings they constructed. Many pegasi never made roost anywhere except Cloudsdale, so anything they called 'home' beyond there was usually only home for several years before they broke down their buildings and began anew somewhere else. Most importantly, anything made from clouds demanded constant upkeep. They were _clouds_, after all, and suffered the damage and influence from weather systems far worse than any terrestrial building.

Naturally then, seeing her home still standing, _per se_, after four years in hiding was a disturbance. Nopony had lived in it except her. And only she knew the intricate nuances that her home employed to allow such columns and rainbow falls to work at all.

Her questions forgotten, Rainbow's curiosity prompted her to spread her wings again and rise to the structure. The exhaustion she suffered due to flying from Canterlot to Ponyville started to overwhelm her by then. She began gasping for breath and felt the sting of sweat invade her eye, but she reached the front landing of her home with no problems. Rainbow spent a moment to grip her hurting midriff, grimacing as the pain sharpened. Clearly, the booster shot she had been given was wearing off.

'_I think I deserve a good, long nap,'_ she thought as the pain ebbed.

Though Rainbow Dash stood before her old home, she hesitated to do more than look around. She sat down and took in the state of the structure, noticing that it had, in fact, deteriorated with time. Much of the main cloud landing was gone, leaving it at a fraction of its original size. A column near the front door was partially missing, causing the once-supported clouds above it to sag. The entire third floor of the house was gone, while the second floor had a few gaping holes where windows once rested. To either side of the main landing were empty pools where liquid rainbows once gathered. All across the walls of the house, the effects of storms and winds were spotted in pockmarks of smaller holes and tears. Even the front door had been shorn away, though the frame remained intact.

"Somepony's been keeping this place held together," she muttered to herself. "At the seams, at least. Why? And who?"

The questions entered the world, but went unanswered. With a grunt, Rainbow stood again and mustered the desire to find the answers on her own. She took measured steps forward, staring intently at the vacant door frame. The faint light of pre-dawn only extended a few precious feet before giving way to a murky darkness inside. She hesitated.

"What am I so scared of?" Rainbow asked aloud.

Her own mind answered her. _'I already know what I'm scared of.'_

"But I built this place. It shouldn't scare me!"

'_What does that mean? I built up my own skill and pride, but those were used against me.'_

"It's...just dark in there. I've handled worse."

'_Why would I want to handle it again?'_

"Come on, Rainbow, you can do this. Just a little further."

'_But what's waiting for me inside there?'_

"It's probably nothing."

'_Then what am I so scared of?'_

She swallowed, then took a step. Then another. And one more, and again, one after the next, until she found herself surrounded by the damaged walls and cooled air that resided within. Her eyes moved from one side to another, gathering what details could be gained from the few spots of moonlight that filtered through.

The state of things inside her home fared no better than the outside. What little she could actually see was barren, merely spots of empty cloud. The rest remained too dark to make out more than faint outlines. It was just enough to know that something was there.

"See?" she reassured herself. "Not so bad at all. This is one darkness that can't hurt-"

It was at that moment that a brief stirring to Rainbow's left caused her to panic. She flinched and jumped aside, causing her bruise to radiate hot pain again. With a groan she couldn't contain, Rainbow sank to her haunches and held her side, keeping one eye open and focused on the spot from where the movement had been.

The stirring continued, an almost indiscernible shape emerging from the floor of her home. Whatever it was, it grew until it was almost her size. The soft sounds of breathing came forth, steadily increasing in what appeared to be excitement. The figure slowly moved forward, only seen as a faint shadow. Then it came to a halt, still obscured in the darkness.

Rainbow dared to take a breath, and it came ragged. Her sense of panic still tugged at her, bringing with it a very real desire to get as far away as possible. She managed to keep both her eyes open, and she stared ahead toward whatever was just a few feet away. The sounds of breathing - both her own and another's - were the only sounds present.

After a few seconds, a soft, scratchy voice broke the air. It came from the figure in the dark, barely above a whisper and filled with guarded hope. "...am I...dreaming...?"

Rainbow Dash held her breath, trying to place the voice. It was no use - whoever had spoken had spoken too quietly.

"Is this just...another dream?" the soft voice asked again. "But this...this is different...than the rest."

"I hope it's not a dream," Rainbow replied. "I don't trust them anymore."

The voice in the dark held its own breath in what seemed to be surprise. After a moment, it spoke again. "It..._is_ you? _Really_ you?"

The pegasus curled her lip, trying to look more intimidating than she felt. "And just who are you?"

"Huh? You don't-" The figure shifted slightly before realizing it was still obscured. "...oh. Uh, here..."

Rainbow pulled back on instinct as the figure moved forward once more. The shape of a hoof entered the spot of moonlight from the vacant doorway. Another joined it soon after. Then fly-away strands of an unkempt mane appeared. Next followed a head and two open eyes, which looked directly into Rainbow's own. The eyes were tired, but there was no mistaking the genuine happiness seen beneath that threatened to boil over.

When Rainbow saw the eyes, her breath caught in her throat. But for once, it was not out of fear. This time, only disbelief caused her throat to catch.

The eyes she saw were a gentle violet. The coat of the speaker - who she now saw had wings- was orange, partially hidden by a worn-out blanket covering the body. The mane was purple as well, brighter than the eye color. The figure was a friend. The friend was a pony. The pony was a pegasus.

"It's really _you_," she muttered around her cautious smile.

A word came forth in reply. "Scootaloo?"

The smile widened. The caution faded. "Ha...you haven't forgotten."

Of all the things for which Rainbow Dash could have prepared, seeing Scootaloo in her dilapidated home was not one of them. In fact, seeing Scootaloo at all was a shock. She was supposed to have been in Canterlot with the rest of-

Rainbow blinked. Her mind connected the dots, reminding her that Scootaloo was nowhere to be seen with the rest of the evacuees. While she and her friends were inseparable during their foalhood, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had been without their pegasus friend that morning. The fact made Rainbow wince - she hadn't even noticed the absence of her number-one fan in the wake of all that had happened. In fact, none of her friends had mentioned it either.

That left questions. Legions of them. But Rainbow could only voice one. "What are you _doing_ here?"

Fear struck Scootaloo's face. "I-I just...I'm sorry for coming into your house, but I..."

"No, I mean...why aren't you in Canterlot with everypony else?"

The younger pegasus tilted her head. "Is that where everyone went?"

"You didn't know?"

"Well, I knew _something_ was happening..." Scootaloo paused to stifle a yawn. "I woke up one day and saw a bunch of guards. I didn't want to cause any trouble, so I...just stayed hidden. Then when I looked out later, most of the town just looked...empty."

"You...why? Why were you hidden at all?

Rainbow sat up properly, releasing her hold on her hurt side. The movement allowed Scootaloo to finally see the state of the pegasus. She couldn't hold back her gasp, Rainbow's question instantly forgotten. "What happened to you?"

The question went unanswered. Rainbow continued to look at Scootaloo, the wheels in her head connecting the dots like they had several times before. The state of the house, the absence of the younger pegasus, and the hesitation while she spoke were simple truths that lead Rainbow to a disturbing theory.

"Have you..." she began in a whisper, "...been here the entire time? Ever since...I left?"

Scootaloo paused, then gave a small smile.

"Why?" Rainbow demanded.

"...you needed a home to come back to."

The answer was so simple that Rainbow was taken aback. A truth so unreal, she questioned whether or not she was awake. It just didn't seem possible, yet it was right there before her.

And not just that - not just the simple answer. There was also what the answer meant. Scootaloo had taken it upon herself to keep Rainbow's home as intact as possible, all for the single purpose of giving Rainbow a place to call home when she returned. And that also meant that Scootaloo had never lost hope, just like Applejack. She had just gone about it in a much different way.

But most importantly of all, it was undeniable proof that Rainbow was always wanted back in Ponyville. Her cloud home was something she crafted in her own vision. It was part of her. And somepony close to her didn't want to see it disappear into the world like she had done. That part of Rainbow Dash, which had stayed behind when she fled, was in danger of being destroyed - and that would have removed the last trace of her from the town.

Yet Scootaloo found a way up there, and she made it her mission to keep it together. She took it upon herself to make sure the structure still stood when Rainbow finally returned. An anchor, a beacon, a simple place to rest. It had been kept alive this entire time.

"What happened to you?" Scootaloo asked again. The words broke through Rainbow's reverie, sinking into her body and sparking something else entirely. The weight of the truth she stood in was still pressing in on her, but it was warm and soothing. Much like the lightweight feelings she felt back in Canterlot.

But there was something else as well. Deep inside her, another feeling grew in place of her regret of four years. It was a solid, agonizing heat that seemed to rise as an army. It was a direct contrast to the comfort she felt outside, and neither were unlike the tranquility she experienced half a day ago. Only this time, the feelings kept growing and pressing on her until finally, with a small sniff, Rainbow broke.

Small streaks of tears formed on Rainbow's muzzle. Her throat clenched, and tiny hiccups forced their way past her lips. Every time she blinked, she felt a brief sting around her eyes. But she had no words to describe how she felt. She knew she should have answered, but at that moment, all she could do was cry.

Scootaloo gave a gasp and stepped forward, the blanket she held falling to her hooves. The younger pegasus didn't hesitate in wrapping her forelegs around her mentor. She didn't even know what was wrong. All she knew was that her idol and friend needed someone at that moment.

Rainbow Dash sobbed violently, and gave in to the embrace. For four years, she had lived in a dark sea of regret for an action that was never her own. Now that regret had been forgiven and redeemed, but in its place emerged a soreness. One deep inside her, heavy as iron and hot as betrayal - for it was, indeed, a guilt about her leaving her friends and home behind.

The truths Rainbow had learned in the last several days had revealed nearly everything to her. Her flight into the storm four years ago was a mistake, and she was not the only one who paid for it. It may have been true Loyalty that prompted her escape, but it was that same Loyalty that told her how much pain she had caused her loved ones anyway. None of them deserved such a change. And this time, there was truly nothing she could do to make up for it.

So she let herself go. She let the feelings of guilt and relief envelop her until her body collapsed into Scootaloo's embrace. She allowed herself to be lowered to the cloud floor, even as her young friend repeatedly asked what was wrong. The only sounds she made were pitiful sobs and bleats as both guilt for her exodus and happiness for her return weighed her down.

"Rainbow, Rainbow!" Scootaloo begged. "Talk to me, please. What's happened to you?"

After several moments, the cyan pegasus responded. She began with the sudden concert where she had met Alucard, and told of the wish that she never should have made. She explained the entire tryouts incident, the feeling of waking up in the care center, and the utter panic she allowed to seize her. She spoke of the lightning that struck her down, the storms that gave her fever, the starvation she eventually accepted, and the hundreds of painful weeks spent alone.

Rainbow spoke of the trip back to Ponyville. She spoke of the magic that was pulled from her. She spoke of her last attempt to die, of the shame she felt when she awoke, of the confusion when her friends said they couldn't blame her. She spoke of Spitfire, she spoke of Soarin', she spoke of the Wonderbolts and their graves. She spoke and spoke and spoke, letting the story flow without thought, and long after her throat began to ache from all the words and feelings. She kept speaking, telling her entire story to Scootaloo, who simply laid down next to her and listened.

Daylight broke over the horizon. Streams of sunlight began to set the skies aflame with red and orange. As the sun rose into the sky, the moon gently fell beyond sight. And while the night traded with the new day, Rainbow's confession shifted as well.

"You shouldn't have done this for me," she was saying. "Staying here and house-sitting this place. I...I-I was gone for years, Scootaloo; you should have been living your life! I can't...make this up to you!"

"But I wanted to, Rainbow," she whispered.

"You shouldn't have! I'm telling you, you shouldn't have done this!"

"So I was just supposed to accept was ponies were telling me? Accept that you were a killer?"

"Wha- no! You should have just moved on without me, kid! I wasn't worth this!"

Scootaloo shook her head. "No, Rainbow, I won't accept that. I never will, like I never accepted the stories about you killing the Wonderbolts."

A moment of hesitation passed between them as Rainbow thought. "Scootaloo, look, I appreciate that...really, I do, but it doesn't change the fac-"

"You listen to me," Scootaloo interrupted. Her tone became harsher, a matter-of-fact voice. "The _fact_ is you were attacked. You were scared, and you ran away, leaving all of us here to move on without you. And the _fact_ is that the ponies who did move on did so believing you were a murderer! That, Rainbow, is one thing I will never, _ever_ accept.

"You're not a killer. You're not a coward. But ponies said you were, and you had still run away. None of them would listen to me, so I decided to keep you here in the only way I had left. I was afraid, Rainbow - I was afraid that everyone would just forget about you! I had to keep you here, I had to!"

Rainbow Dash wiped her nose against her foreleg for the umpteenth time. "But it was your _life_, Scootaloo! Your _time_! You gave that up just to keep this place in the air."

"And _you_ gave up _yours_ so _we_ would be safe! Or were those times you tried jumping off cliffs just dramatic effect?"

The older mare hesitated again, her arguments crumbling in large pieces. "But those were my choices. They were always meant to keep all of you safe, here at home. I made those decisions so your lives would be protected."

Scootaloo hissed. "You were a _part_ of my life, Rainbow Dash! My friend, my role model! I _refuse_ to let you say anything different, and I _still_ refuse to let your good name die! You are _good_, you are _fair_, you always have others in mind - even when you let your ego get the best of you! And all of that was just going to be forgotten while everyone called you a murderer.

"Oh, they tried to convince me, oh yes. They sat me down many times, telling me about how you had changed, how you were not the Rainbow Dash we thought you were. But I didn't listen to them, and they wouldn't listen to me. None of them believed me, so I decided to let them go. I never meant to stay here all the time...it just happened. But I figured out what to do, and I made sure that your house stayed right where it belongs.

"Because you're not a bad pony, Rainbow Dash. You're not a criminal, and you're not a murderer. You were just scared, that's all. And I think the best way to stop being scared is just coming home."

During her talk, Scootaloo had reached over and pulled Rainbow for another hug. Both of them shuddered in the silence that followed. Rainbow Dash, realizing she was wrong again, admitted defeat and sank into the embrace.

'_Get up, and move forward...maybe it's not supposed to mean 'keep fighting.' Maybe Spitfire was telling me to move on.'_

"You sound a lot like Applejack, kid," she muttered. "She also kept saying 'home' when we talked."

Scootaloo chuckled and released her hold, sliding back to look at her idol properly. "Sounds like she hasn't changed."

"Mmm. She says she'll have a big homecoming dinner for me tomor- er, tonight. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to eat."

"More than a mushroom, I hope." The orange pegasus nudged her friend in good nature.

"Ah, well...I've never been able to resist their home cooking. Y-you should come, too."

Scootaloo paused, looking around the cloud home. The ambient sunlight had better revealed the emptiness inside. "What about this?"

With a laugh, Rainbow looked around as well. "I say you've done a fine job of keeping the foundation solid. Don't worry, we can rebuild."

The younger pegasus blinked. "We?"

Rainbow smiled. "Kiddo, you've been living here for four years. Safe to say it's as much your home as it is mine."

Scootaloo gave a wide smile at the decision, but Rainbow instantly realized something in what she said. "Hey," she continued, "how'd you ever manage to get up here, anyway?"

"Uh, I flew up here."

"With _your _wings?"

Scootaloo stood up and stretched her wings. They had always been stunted, but had grown with her body over the years. As Rainbow looked them over, she corrected herself. They were smaller than most, yes, but certainly not incapable of flight anymore. However, they would never carry her as high or as far as others.

"It was hard the first time," Scootaloo explained. "I actually had to ask for some flying tips from a few other pegasi. But after a while of practice, I was able to get some lift. They've been getting stronger ever since."

"Oh really? And how fast can you go?"

Just then, Scootaloo got a certain glint in her eye. One that Rainbow recognized - a challenge. "Want to find out?"

Without waiting for a reply, Scootaloo trotted out the front door and into the cool morning air. Rainbow Dash stood and followed her, tasting the familiar charge in the air as the challenge was recognized. The two pegasi reached the edge of the front platform, looking westward across town. The sky was brightening across most of the space, but a zone of soft darkness rested at the horizon.

"Don't know if you remember, but I was able to dodge lightning a few hours ago," Rainbow said.

Scootaloo snorted. "So did Rarity!"

"...I don't even know if that's an insult, kiddo! Now, if it were Fluttershy..."

"She did, too. So maybe it's not so special if everypony can do it!"

Rainbow laughed - a true, mirthful laugh. "Maybe, but it's still something. Think you can top that, _pipsqueak_?"

Scootaloo looked at her idol with a raised eyebrow. "You've got bruises and bandages all over your stomach."

"Th-that shouldn't matter!"

"Then yeah, I think I can top it. By the way, you still owe me a promise. If I do well with this, you have to make good on it."

"Heh. Deal."

With a few seconds and a deep breath, both pegasi leapt off the platform and began to fall to the earth. Rainbow took a chance and closed her eyes, allowing the sensation of the rushing air occupy her mind for that fleeting moment. She didn't think about cloud homes or murderous alicorns or wishes she regretted. She simply thought about what she was about to do.

Her eyes opened, and she spotted the ground rising up to meet her. She waited three heartbeats before letting instinct guide her actions - a twist of the neck, a snap of her wings, and the stretching of her feathers. She felt the air break and bend to accommodate her, granting her lift beneath her wings. In that split second, she turned upward and shot into the air, spotting the orange-and-purple of Scootaloo only a few yards ahead.

Dawn pushed ever forward to begin the new day, and two pegasi above Ponyville were the only creatures who stirred in the town. They flew without any real direction, and eventually without any need to go faster than the other. They simply flew, letting the air warm up and the world light up around them.

Rainbow Dash felt her worries melting away as she flew. Some went away with no trouble, while others fought to stay in her mind. Most of them simply retreated to the edge of her thoughts, content to let her enjoy the moment she had earned. Because even though her struggles had wounded her, they were no longer burning - they had scarred over.

She was finally free.

The sensations filled her to the brim. _'Home.'_

Her part in the story was over.

**End chapter seventeen**

Author's comments: Sincere apologies for the delay in getting this one out. I had to ask one of my close friends to wish me luck, and to give my muse a stern pep-talk. She responded with a cheer, complete with pom-poms. So yes - don't thank me, thank the pom-poms.

The epilogue is next. See you guys there.

Final chapter: When a storm takes away that which is dear to you, the decision to rebuild is yours alone. And when the storm takes away much more than that, the decision is that of so many others. For some, the real struggle is picking up the pieces and taking the next step. And for a very specific few, those pieces are so heavy, they will need the help of each other to begin the road to recovery. But the road is before them, and very little remains undecided. The only question becomes "when" - when will they take the step, and when will they feel brave enough to look back.


	19. Epilogue: Where Land Meets Sky

**Rain without Rainbows  
><strong>The grand adventure brought forth by adventurous minds!  
>Author: Leoshi<br>Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: After seventeen of these, the message should be pretty clear. MLP:FiM belongs to Faust and Thiessen, as well as Hasbro and the Hub. Give them thanks, wish them luck, and buy their toys!

**Epilogue**

Where Land Meets Sky

The land of Equestria changed after that fateful day in the royal city. Suddenly everypony was interested in other lands beyond their own. They wanted to know where they were, who ruled them, and what they were capable of. The aftermath of Alucard's storm had imprinted true horror into the minds of the survivors, and even those who were beyond the reach of the clouds were still caught in the gaze of his eclipse. Stories of all caliber eventually trickled down to Fillydelphia, Apploosa, Manehatten, and every other city, settlement, township, and outlying pioneer. Everyone eventually knew of the dark stallion who ruled over Canterlot for a day, and they all asked who else was beyond their border that could overpower them.

They knew the threat was real.

But the threat never came.

In the weeks following the assault on Canterlot, the city underwent significant changes. As repairs were made, new training exercises for the guard were enacted, and the enlistment offices suddenly saw a surge of talented ponies eager to defend their home. However, the royal guard's changes came slowly, as they were often called to extended duty in order to protect the two princesses.

Indeed, the main danger after Alucard's storm had ended was not another attack by the stallion, but constant mobs of hurt and confused citizens that filed into the palace on a daily basis. Questions were loud and demanding, filled with wild accusations and very real thirsts for blood. When Celestia and Luna denied all suggestions to hunt down the one responsible for so many deaths, their subjects grew agitated. A small militia was formed, led by a pair of retired mason workers. But the militia never got its chance, as the royal guard brought a tense but peaceful end to its existence.

Over time, when it became clear that their attacker was not returning, the critics and warmongers lost their fire. The repairs were made on-schedule, and eventually life returned to the hustle-and-bustle that was typical of the city. An addition to the palace grounds was a memorial erected for those unfortunate souls caught in the storm, and each year Celestia and Luna would hold a somber event in memoriam. Hundreds of city ponies attended the first year. The next year, half that number. And in following years, the attendees were only those whose families were affected.

They knew the threat was real.

But the threat never came.

The princesses themselves opted for a set of changes as well, the most prominent being Luna's official role as a Diarch of Equestria. Until then, Celestia had handled nearly all matters requiring open court, allowing her sister the time needed to settle into her new life. The elder sister was effectively the sole ruler of the land, if only in practice. But the actions Luna had taken during the assault proved her wisdom and capabilities, convincing Celestia to defer some of her own responsibilities.

So when the throne was sent to her workers to be repaired, Celestia ordered a second to be made for her sister. When it arrived, both sisters ruled over the land as a pair. Celestia deferred a number of court visitors to Luna, trusting her judgement to be sound. The change was immediately accepted, to the point that palace court was held during both day and night for each sister. Productivity in and around the castle increased significantly.

No longer was Luna a figurehead of the night. She truly ruled over it once again, as she was always meant to do. She worked with her sister to ensure the threat would never surprise them again.

And the threat never came.

In the days following the attack, Twilight Sparkle revealed all she had seen to Celestia and Luna. Not just what she perceived was the soul of the white stallion, but the existence of Loyalty who resided there. They debated the significance of that part of Harmony being beyond their reach, often wondering if other attacks against their country could be met as effectively. It was disturbing news to say the least - both princesses had never before imagined that magic as powerful as the Elements of Harmony could be separated in such a way.

Eventually, the rest of Twilight's friends were told as well. They all shared the same feeling of surprise, Rainbow Dash most of all. Strangely, while the group expected Rainbow to be depressed at the news, she actually seemed relieved. When asked why she took the news so well, she explained that it was just another aspect of sacrifice - that whoever the white stallion was would be able to practice the virtue of Loyalty on his own.

The fact that the powers of the Elements were actual spirits inspired a campaign to learn about them. History books revealed nothing on the matter, and attempts to communicate through the artifacts resulted only in migraines and wasted hours. However, the advice that Twilight had been given - to let her magic flow freely - led her to believe that perhaps the supposed spirits had existed since before the age of Celestia's reign. Maybe in the time of magic's birth, or earlier still. The subject has been the focus of many debates involving many more interested scholars, and Twilight went on to publish several works regarding the hypothesis.

But not all news was welcome. Unfortunately, Luna had waited too long to save one of her subjects - Rarity. The unicorn's constant reliance on the dark magic bound to her, as well as her exposure to Alucard's unhindered power, had caused the segment implanted in her to sink too deeply. When the time finally came to unravel the dark magic, it took with it a part of Rarity's being. Luna was left with a choice...to either pull out the magic and destroy it like she had always intended, or let Rarity's soul remain whole and tainted.

Rarity made the choice for her, and chose to allow the magic to stay. Her reason was that by undoing the magic with a part of her with it, she would be losing a piece of who she was. Plus, she said, her friend had suffered far more for far longer and was still alive. As a result, Rarity suffered from fierce but intermittent night terrors, and she often complained of a burning sensation deep inside her body. Yet despite the consequences of her choice, she led a happy life with her friends. She even began a family of her own.

Luna had never been able to cure Rarity as she had done Rainbow Dash. She constantly tried to correct that, but each attempt saw the same result. It seemed as though the segment of bound magic was meant to stay, while the spell woven into Rainbow's soul was destined to be removed, as Alucard had planned. But none of them could say if Alucard had intended the magic in Rarity to remain. After all, he wasn't even aware that she was tainted in such a way.

Despite the foreign magic, the six friends eventually returned to their old lives. They all took part in celebration and everyday adventure, just as they had always done. The only difference was that they all better appreciated their own unity. They had managed to find harmony after four years in the dark. And they enjoyed that harmony for years to come.

It was a harmony not entirely perfect. Their peace was won at the cost of several innocent lives and Rainbow's lifelong dream. None of them would ever forget their struggle, and Rainbow Dash often wondered if her battle was truly over. The threat never returned, but it was still out there. A phantom on the horizon, enacting plots and attacks on another land unknown to her. The harmony in Equestria was besmirched with the price paid to return it.

Yes, it was a harmony not entirely perfect. But it was harmony nonetheless.

* * *

><p>Spring in Ponyville was coming to an end. The excitement for summer fun was in the air, increasing as each day came and went. School ponies fought to stay focused for their end-of-term exams. Shops and wagons held specials for the new season. The sky was clear, the food was fresh, and a mild breeze kept spirits high throughout the town.<p>

Which was why the look of annoyance crossing Kaitlyn Kream's face was more than a little unusual.

"You're not listening!" she hissed beneath a scrunched-up nose. "How would we even make it to the falls without planning ahead? It's a three-day hike just to get there!"

Kaitlyn sat with her two best friends, Sun Spot and Jeweled Radiance, just outside the schoolhouse. The three of them had been talking back and forth over a possible jaunt to the beautiful Windsome Falls once the new season began, but the differing ideas in how to get there were causing some trouble. And a few headaches besides.

Sun Spot, the eldest among them, nodded. "See, Jewel? Even _she_ agrees with me."

"Well of _course_ we're gonna pack a few things! We need a way to climb cliffs and take pictures after all!" Jeweled Radiance replied, ever oblivious to the time constraints. She closed her eyes and tilted her chin, a habit she had picked up from her mother. She heard it exuded an air of confidence. Silently, she resolved to find out what 'exuded' meant later that day. And 'confidence.'

Sun Spot merely slapped her forehoof against her head, careful to avoid bashing her horn. That had happened one time too many that day alone. "Ugh...you worry me sometimes, Pebble."

"Don't call me Pebble!"

"Calm down, Jewel!" Kaitlyn said, reaching across the table. "Sunny's still right. We need to worry about _getting_ to the falls, before we worry about what we're gonna do once we're there. Let's think about tents and food before cameras and rope, okay?"

Jeweled Radiance huffed and set her head down on the table. "_Fiiiine_," she whined. "But I still think we shouldn't use too much time. You know what I always say."

Both Sun Spot and Kaitlyn rolled their eyes, reciting "Adventure is only a gallop away" in unison.

The three friends made an interesting sight. Sun Spot was the oldest among them by four years, and the voice of reason for the trio. Other ponies her age didn't feel like associating with the younger crowd, but she genuinely liked spending time with them - though she often questioned that decision. As a unicorn, she was the de-facto 'get-them-all-out-of-trouble' girl when things went awry. Despite the misuse of her magic, she still maintained a level head, and often dreamed of learning beneath Princess Luna one day.

Jeweled Radiance was the youngest, though not by much. She was an oddity among earth ponies, who preferred the comfort of company and clothing to that of physical work or personal gain. Of course, her mother Rarity was often the source of those feelings. Whenever the three friends got into trouble, the filly was the first to tremble in apprehension. The shaky demeanor had earned her the nickname 'Pebble' in the schoolyard. A harmless, if infuriating, name to choose.

Then there was Kaitlyn Kream, the pegasus of the group. She was older than Radiance by a matter of weeks, which was the ice-breaker for their first conversation from a year earlier. Kaitlyn had moved to Ponyville from Cloudsdale with her family, a transition she didn't care for at first. Thankfully, the friendship she struck with the two ponies helped her through the school year (and the town events held almost every month), and the three of them had been nearly inseparable ever since.

The adults of the town often thought of them as the next generation of the Cutie-Mark Crusaders, which also pleased Kaitlyn to no end. She had heard of the original Crusaders when her family had moved, and even maintained a personal friendship with one.

"Just a gal-lop!" Radiance sang. "A gal-lop away! Let's go, lit-tle ones, it's time to play!"

Sun Spot promptly ignored the filly, instead focusing on her pegasus friend. "So let's talk business. We know we'll need tents, sleeping bags, and some food to last us a week. Know anypony who can spare them?"

"My aunt Sweetie Belle can loan us a travel bag!" Radiance said.

Kaitlyn nodded. "There's you taken care of. Although...we need two more. How many does she have?"

"Uhm...I'll...ask my mom?"

Sun Spot rolled her eyes for the second time in as many minutes. "Packs, sort-of check. Sleeping bags?"

"My family still has a few left over from the move," replied Kaitlyn, much to the surprise of her friends. "What? Dad wanted to experience ground life and talked us all into sleeping outdoors one weekend!"

"Wow," the unicorn breathed. "What did you think?"

Kaitlyn chewed over her words for a moment. "There were a lot of bugs, and the grass was all wet in the morning. It made me feel icky."

"Ohh!" came the high-pitched voice of their earth pony friend. "Don't talk like that! I don't like bugs!"

"Mm-hmm, you also don't like river moss. Or raisins. Or summer reading. Or rocks."

"I-huh? Rocks are fine..."

Kaitlyn smirked. The bait had been taken. "Especially pebbles."

The laughter that sounded barely covered Radiance's cry of disdain, though it did drown out the groan Sun Spot let loose. The three friends fell into another bout of good-natured bickering, drawing the attention of passers-by. Most of them shook their heads with a knowing smile and continued on their way.

One such pony experienced a rise in interest, and chose that moment to calmly sit down on the other side of the table. Kaitlyn's eyes instantly widened. "Scootaloo!" she squealed.

The newcomer, a fully-grown pegasus mare, nodded her greeting. "I'll have what's she's having!" she called, despite the fact that she wasn't at a café. More grins graced the ponies walking past. With a friendly smirk, Scootaloo extended a hoof to each of the girls, who bumped it with theirs in turn.

"Fancy seeing you on the ground for a change," Sun Spot commented. "Been a while."

"Oh, I've been back since the weekend," Scootaloo explained. "I've just hardly had time to rest properly. This whole survey job is a lot more taxing than I expected." She gingerly massaged one of her wings to emphasize her point.

"Can't say I'm jealous." The young unicorn spared a moment to giggle. "Then again, I can't fly, so who am I to judge?"

Scootaloo returned the giggle with one of her own. "Heheh. Would you believe me if I said I know how you feel?"

Kaitlyn stretched her own wings on reflex. She was all-too familiar with the stories of her idol's stunted wings, and how it had haunted her for many years growing up. Part of that was why the filly admired her so much.

"So!" the orange pegasus began. "What's on the menu for you three rascals? Not another experiment with candied muffins, I hope."

Across the table, Jeweled Radiance hid her embarrassed muzzle behind her hooves - a habit taken from her aunt. "It was just a thought!" her muffled voice called.

Scootaloo shrugged. "I'm just sayin'."

"Heh, ah...actually, we're planning a week-long hike to and from Windsome Falls. Pebble here wants to add it to her photo album for this year, and I've been itching to see it anyway," Kaitlyn said. Radiance shot her a dirty glare from around her hooves.

"Oh, the falls!" Scootaloo sat up straighter. "Some of my best memories are at the falls. I think you kids have made a fantastic choice."

"Was it the site of one of your fantastic adventures?" Kaitlyn eagerly asked.

With a chuckle, Scootaloo waved at her to calm down. "Yes, yes, of course it was. I've already told you that story, Cream Cheese."

It was Kaitlyn's turn to be embarrassed. Radiance snickered in satisfaction at the nickname. A moment passed between them before the younger pegasus looked up again, the excitement in her eyes returning.

"...you want me to tell the story again, don't you?"

An eager nod was her only answer. Sun Spot sighed, muttering how they would never finish planning their trip at the rate they were going.

Scootaloo closed her eyes and gave a sigh of her own. "I don't know why you like hearing that one so much. It was just a camping trip, after all."

"Yeah, but there was the time you got to fly with Rainbow Dash! Oh, and how Jewel's aunt sang a silly tune because you wanted to stay up all night!"

"There was also the part about you seeing Princess Luna," Sun Spot added, more to herself than to the others.

Scootaloo laughed, and was soon joined by the laughter of the fillies. She looked at Kaitlyn with a mix of appreciation and nostalgia. There was so much about her that reminded Scootaloo of her own days as a kid. She saw the penchant for adventure, the worry that ran beneath her attitude, and the eagerness to impress her idol. That, in particular, resonated with Scootaloo the most. Such a desire to be noticed was much like how she behaved around Rainbow Dash in years past.

The thought made Scootaloo's mirth trail off, though her happy grin grew wider. An idea formed in her head. "You girls are really looking forward to this new adventure at the falls, aren't you?"

Three heads nodded back.

"Well, in that case, how about I tell you a different story? One that has plenty of adventure, with danger and mystery mixed in." Scootaloo leaned in close, adding an edge to her voice that showed just how much excitement she intended to convey.

Sun Spot, out of respect for her elder, bit down the groan in her throat. "Not to be rude, because the story does sound nice, but we've still got a trip to plan out. We're gonna need more than a 'maybe' on travel bags if we're gonna go anywhere."

"Hey, now! You shouldn't overthink things to the point where you have no fun! Besides, this story I have in mind starts off with no planning whatsoever."

That was all Kaitlyn needed to hear to be hooked. She gave a warm smile of anticipation. "You know, I kinda like those stories!"

"My mom has a few stories like that," Radiance added.

Scootaloo grinned. "Your mother is in this story, you know."

And like that, Radiance was interested too. She sat up straight, her eyes dancing with the promise of hearing about her mother's legacy.

"Alright, alright," Sun Spot conceded. "We'll just hold off on the entire 'planning to plan' thing until later. Not like we have anything else to-"

"Sunny, Princess Luna is in this story, too."

The unicorn halted mid-syllable.

"And she saves lives."

Without a word, Sun Spot leaned in closer. Scootaloo grinned. Three for three.

The mare spared a moment to look around, appreciating the sight of her old school and the fields beyond. "I'll tell you this, girls - sometimes the best adventures you have are the ones you never plan. They come up on you from behind, and you have the choice to either gallop with it, or sit down and let it pass you by."

"Adventure is just a gallop away!" Radiance sang. Her friends both grinned.

"Right, that's right! And this particular adventure was had by one of my closest friends, over ten years ago. She wasn't expecting it, either, and it very nearly beat her several times before the end. You see, when it came up on her, it did so by basically ruining her entire world. Everything she was working toward was taken away from her. And the worst part? She was blamed for it all."

Scootaloo paused, looking at each of the fillies. She had their full attention. With a chuckle, she placed both her forehooves on the table, one atop the other, and continued.

"The ending to this adventure was just as hard as the beginning of it. But I like to think that the ending is a little less important, because the day when this story ended was not like others. It was different, for some very good reasons. See, it was the _beginning_ of the adventure that I like more, because it started unexpectedly. And it all began with an ordinary day..."

**End chapter eighteen**

**End Rain without Rainbows**


	20. Bonus: Deleted Scenes

**Rain without Rainbows**

Three years for a Leoshi story? Seems legit.

Guys, this entry here is the exact opposite of a proper chapter. Consider this my 'cutting room floor,' where various scenes and tidbits were cut out of the story for various reasons. As a reward to the people who stuck around all this time, and a hearty 'thank-you' to everyone who has left me a kind word, I'm releasing all of these chopped-up scenes for the enjoyment of all.

This is just like the Special Features section on DVD movies - and just like those sections, you don't have to read any of these. They are just for the sake of enjoyment, and do not take anything away from the story at large. You can even move to a different page on the internet right now and not miss out on anything. I won't feel bad, promise.

Still here? Alright, then. Each chapter will be properly labeled, with their appropriate scenes included. Not all chapters had scenes cut from them, but the ones that follow were all changed in big ways. Hope you enjoy them!

~Leo

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter five:<strong> Assault

_[When I first began writing this chapter, I had the idea of showing Spike spending time with Snips and Snails in a sort-of homage to the Three Stooges in scene two. They would be doing some mundane activity that degraded into physical comedy. I cut it out for two reasons. One, because the idea of comedy felt very out of place with the part of the story at the time. And two, because I had no other intentions for Snips and Snails for the entire story. I didn't want to bring in characters if they were not going to affect the story, so I decided to take a different approach and follow Alucard's magic instead.]_

Spike tapped his claw against his forearm to a beat he didn't measure. He couldn't spare the thought - he was too busy measuring how much time had passed since Snails insisted on going inside ahead of them. The two-minute mark had long since been passed, which made Snails' promise to them worthless. But without anything else to do, Spike just kept waiting with Snips at his side.

"This is gonna be _so_ much fun!" Snips proclaimed for the fifth time that day. His dragon friend spared him a glance, then went back to his claw-tapping.

The 'fun' that the three youngsters were planning involved not telling Spike what it involved at all. It was, in their words, a surprise for him to make up for how poorly last week's event had gone. Spike was having a hard time reserving judgement, despite being friends with the two colts. While he was eager to have amends made to him from a week earlier, he was skeptical that he would benefit from whatever they were about to do.

He let out a quick sigh. Last week's fiasco had left his tail bald in a few spots. He still had episodes of agonizing itchiness, too. Not exactly a fond memory.

Spike stood outside the front door to Ponyville's stationery shop, where quills, scrolls, ink wells, and other such supplies were sold. Being the assistant Twilight Sparkle, Spike was a frequent customer of the shop. That fact caused him to worry... If Snails did anything to ruin his good reputation, he might lose the secret discounts he had been enjoying for the last couple years. Of course, Twilight didn't know about them, and his extra trips to Sugarcube Corner were best left a secret as well.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter sixteen:<strong> Harmony

_[These two drafts were the second and third tries at an opening scene for Harmony. In both of them, Cyros noted how they fall into my bad habit of re-stating known facts instead of actually telling something new. They really seem to act like climactic introductions to an action sequel, where reminding the viewers of key facts is a need. In the end, he and agreed to go with the first version (more dialogue-heavy and a bigger focus on the characters instead of the world).]_

**VERSION TWO:**

Her name was Rainbow Dash. She was a pegasus mare with a light blue coat, gifted with a mane and tail of many colors that matched her name. Her greatest joy in life was racing, and she enjoyed anything as long as it was in competition. She had lived in the town of Ponyville, working as a local weather mare, while at the same time training for a long-held dream of being a Wonderbolt.

That was four years ago. It felt like a lifetime.

Now, she was very different. Her name and colors had remained the same, but her mindset and priorities were of a completely different sort. Instead of racing, her friends were her greatest joy, and they were more a gift than a triumph. She still had a home with them, but that home was threatened. Her old routines of working the weather and training for the Wonderbolts had died off years ago, and lately she had been treading carefully around the sensitive subjects of her past.

She had lost so much in the years, yet there were things that she had gained - or, more accurately, _regained_. On a day stolen and darkened, she stood as the Bearer of Loyalty, one of six ponies who wielded the Elements. She was more attuned to the power than ever before, and it was that power that fed her resolve.

Many things had been leading up to that particular day. Seven days before, two of her friends had been assaulted by dangerous magic which had nearly killed one of them. Two days after that, Rainbow was found a pitiful mess in a remote cave, but had taken a chance to return home. Three days later, it was discovered that Rainbow had lied to her friends in a final attempt to end her own life. It was on the same day that a pony from her past had re-entered his own scheme, and two more days later, he would enact his promised storm.

Four years ago, he had planned every step. The stallion who saw everything had worked with a profound vigilance to reach this day, and there was only one thing he did _not_ foresee. The return of Rainbow Dash.

Autumn had begun.

It was early in the evening.

**VERSION THREE:**

The sound around her went unnoticed. She would not deny the constant dull bangs behind her or the muffled shouts of her name barely reaching her ears, but she did not notice them. The existence of sound was not among her concerns, at least not those of others. What she _did_ notice was that her own words were far more frail than she had expected them to be, and it took a brief moment to clear her throat.

In the time between her first words and her second attempt at them, she also cursed the existence of sight. She blatantly ignored the gifts that sight provided, choosing instead to hate it for what she was seeing at that moment. The figure before her could not be described as anything short of horrifying, and each new detail she was forced to notice also forced more instinctual fear into her system.

She fought that fear. She fought it with every fiber of will she knew she had. She hated it - she hated where she was, she hated what this stallion before her had done, what he was doing, what he was _planning_ to do...she hated it all. But what she hated the most was the knowledge that she had indirectly helped to cause all this. Even if her contribution had simply been her own abscence. Inaction, it seemed, was worse than action.

The fear held her back. It held her, there over the clouds, trapped in a magical dome that kept her alive, with her five friends desperately trying to reach her with words and force, while the stallion in front of her merely smiled. In that instant, she changed her mind - that _smile_ was what she hated the most.

It was early in the evening.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter seventeen:<strong> Kindred Spirits

_[In this part of Kindred Spirits, Rainbow and company have just come across the rows of dead bodies held inside the throne room. In the original draft of the chapter, the victim of Alucard (seen as his "secret" in Harmony) was always intended to be met and introduced. He would go on to explain himself and reveal what little he knew about Alucard. However, this idea presented a lot of big problems, such as the need to introduce an important character so late in the story. Of course, there was also the issue of him being difficult to write for, since I had nothing to use for him (a similar problem I had for Scootaloo). As a result, the entire idea of having him there was removed from the storyline, and subsequent scenes were adapted to match. It was a wise choice, I think._

_Another thing to note is the change in Luna's behavior between this scene and the final version. In this one, I wrote her as being far more friendly toward Rainbow that usual. Of course, this felt uncomfortable for the story given everything that had happened, and felt at-odds with Luna herself. The version of her here also dropped her Nightmare Moon reference far too soon, so the impact it held was considerably weaker.]_

Her friends had all joined her, emulating her silence as they too paid their respects. Twilight slowly wrapped Spike in her foreleg, drawing him close. Rarity and Applejack mimicked the action, respectively embracing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Rainbow slowly became aware that a new presence had joined her side, and she looked up to see the turquoise eyes of Princess Luna. The alicorn offered a gentle smile, to which Rainbow instantly averted her gaze.

"Do not blame yourself, Rainbow Dash," Luna began. "Were it not for your efforts alongside your friends, we would all be joining these few who are now free from pain."

Rainbow drew in a shaky breath. "How many?" she asked.

It was a few tense seconds before Luna replied. "Nineteen." Rainbow released a harsh sob while the princess continued. "Eight were from Canterlot, these five here hail from Ponyville, and those six-" she nodded toward the sets of royal armor, "-were members of our palace guard."

'_Nineteen were killed today...no, yesterday,'_ Rainbow Dash thought. _'And Spitfire's team...that's twenty-three. I just, I can't...'_

"I-I'm sorry, princess," she muttered. She knew that words couldn't make this better, but felt compelled to try regardless. "I allowed this t-to happen...if I had only stayed..."

In a flash, Luna bent to her haunches and wrapped her uninjured wing around Rainbow. She pulled the saddened pegasus close in a hug that would normally only be shared with her sister. "Be strong, young one. You've done more than any of us have. The pain will heal."

The pegasus' eyes lifted once more, and a desperate glint shone behind them. "How can I possibly get over this?" she asked.

"I have faith that you will, Rainbow Dash. You are not the first to have lived in darkness, been swallowed by regret, and then granted a chance to return to the light."

Rainbow's eyes widened slightly. She knew that Luna was referring to her time as Nightmare Moon, and the sins she had earned during her frightful reign. Closing her eyes, Rainbow leaned into the embrace, understanding washing over her like a blanket against the cold.

"Come," Luna said a moment later. "There is somepony you need to meet."

The princess stood in one smooth motion, and Rainbow followed her ascent a second later. Their group now numbered ten, and they all followed the alicorn as she turned and walked slowly away from the covered bodies. The air instantly felt clearer with every step they took.

As they walked, Twilight spied the raised dais at the end of the room. A pile of golden rubble was resting on the platform, covered in patches of crimson fabric. It was the remains of the actual throne, collected from the town square after the sky had cleared.

It wasn't long before they came upon another row of palace guards, much like those blocking the halls toward the throne room. Luna recognized them as Celestia's personal guard, forming a close-knit circle facing outward. They all seemed tense - it was clear that the loss of some of their own had affected them, but now they also seemed angry. Without a word, the circle opened and allowed the group to pass. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle earned a few stares from the closest guards, and they hurried along nervously.

Behind them, the guards re-formed their protective circle. Luna stepped aside, allowing Rainbow and her friends an unobstructed view of what awaited them. Celestia stood nearby, still clearly weakened from her battle the previous day. Her mane barely moved, and she constantly shifted her weight from hoof to hoof. Yet her gaze had recovered its stern, piercing glare - but when that glare met the eyes of the mares, it instantly softened.

"My friends," Celestia sighed in relief. "My brave, strong champions. I cannot express how happy I am to see you all well."

Applejack couldn't resist a quip. "Ah've had better, to be honest."

"Yes, I had heard about you injury," the princess replied with only a slight hesitation. "How are you coping?"

"Can Ah tell you after the drugs have worn off?" To underscore her question, Applejack swayed in her spot. Her little sister rushed forward to catch her, but thankfully Applejack regained her footing before such a save was needed.

"Fair point. Now then, I'm sorry to get right to business, but there are some truths that still need to be heard. Rainbow Dash, since you've been affected by this the longest, I want you to see him first."

Rainbow blinked, feeling a wave of apprehension wash over her. "Him? You mean..."

Celestia and Luna both shook their heads, dispelling her fear. "Our pegasi have been sweeping the city for hours," Luna informed. "We have not seen any trace of Alucard since the storm broke up."

Relieved, Rainbow swallowed her apprehension like a piece of dry wood. "Then who?" she rasped.

In response, Celestia looked behind her, then took a large step back. Just past her body was a white alicorn, his coat color more dismal than Celestia's yet no less solid. His mane was a soft black, like rubbed charcoal, which angled around his head in natural spikes. The state of his wings was somewhat disturbing - both had been lashed to his body with rope, preventing any hope of flight. His horn, as well, was adorned with a metal contraption Rainbow had never before seen, but correctly guessed was used to block any magic at the source. All along his body were irregular burn marks, like webs caught aflame, which revealed patches of recently scorched hide.

She instantly recognized him as the victim alicorn they had all seen above the clouds several hours earlier. But while she did know where she had seen him, she had no words for him. So she only stared, taking in every detail in a mental mission to prove that the stallion before her was not Alucard in any way.

After a moment, the stallion gently looked up to Celestia. "Your Highness, may I stand?"

Celestia's eyes instantly sharpened, and she glared back at him. "You may not."

He instantly lowered his head and gave a grim frown, like he had known the answer to his own question all along.

Pinkie Pie broke the tension. "You know, it's kind of weird to see you without your guitar."

Eleven pairs of eyes shot toward her, a few accompanied by confused scoffs. The alicorn warmed up bit by bit, a grin tugging at his mouth. "Yeah, I remember that. Wow, it feels like such a long time ago..."

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "What's going on?" she asked, looking at Luna, who was closer.

The moon regent looked to her, then to the captive alicorn. "This one claims to have been rescued by you and your friends. However, he freely admits to being the host to Alucard - a claim we hope you can elaborate upon. Regardless, he is a stranger in these lands, and his power is unknown. Our security demands that we take precautions."

"Precautions?" Rainbow echoed, gazing upon the metal clamp and ropes. They looked foreign and extreme to her.

"He's been cooperating," Celestia added. "Every question we've had, he's answered to the best of his ability. He hasn't fought the bindings than keep him here, but we still cannot take risks."

Fluttershy peeked out. "Isn't this a little much, though?"

Luna fixed her with a level stare. "Ponies have died."

The timid pegasus immediately withdrew. Luna continued after relieving a heavy sigh.

"Believe me, young ones - my sister and I would rather have a more open forum. However, these extra measures are just as much for his safety as our own. Were it up to the Canterlot ponies, they would doubtlessly see him punished."

Hesitating, Rainbow Dash looked over to him again. She tried to ignore the rope and clamp. "So, who is he?"

The stallion in question looked up to Celestia, wordlessly seeking her approval. She glanced back, waited a moment, then finally gave a stiff nod.

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><p><em>[This scene was not planned as part of Kindred Spirits. In fact, it went off-the-wall very quickly. On a whim, I decided to see what would happen if I threw in two more twists to the tale. The first was Scootaloo's reveal, as had always been intended, and the second would be her involvement in Alucard's plan. Naturally, this bit of bad writing was instantly cut, as I had absolutely no room (or patience!) for it in the story proper. Despite that, it was still an entertaining distraction. One of those Shyamalan-esque "didn't see that one comin'!" twists.]<em>

"What am I so scared of?" Rainbow asked aloud.

Her own mind answered her. _'I already know what I'm scared of.'_

"But I built this place. It shouldn't scare me!"

'_What does that mean? I built up my own skill and pride, but it was used against me.'_

"It's...just dark in there. I've handled worse."

'_Why would I want to handle it again?'_

"Come on, Rainbow, you can do this. Just a little further."

'_But what's waiting for me inside there?'_

"It's probably nothing."

'_Then what am I so scared of?'_

She swallowed, then took a step. Then another. And one more, and again, one after the next, until she found herself surrounded by the damaged walls and cooled air that resided within. Her eyes moved from one side to another, gathering what details could be gained from the few spots of moonlight that filtered through.

The state of things inside her home fared no better than the outside. What little she could actually see was barren, merely spots of empty cloud. The rest remained too dark to make out more than faint outlines. It was just enough to know that something was there.

"See?" she reassured herself. "Not so bad at all. This is one darkness that can't hurt-"

It was at that moment that a brief stirring to Rainbow's left caused her to panic. She flinched and jumped aside, causing her bruise to radiate hot pain again. With a groan she couldn't contain, Rainbow sank to her haunches and held her side, keeping one eye open and focused on the spot from where the movement had been.

The stirring continued, an almost indiscernible shape emerging from the floor of her home. Whatever it was, it grew until it was almost her size. The soft sounds of breathing came forth, steadily increasing in what appeared to be excitement. A moment later, two faint white spots appeared in the darkness, round and empty. They had come from nowhere.

They appeared magical.

The sight of the glowing spots of white moving with the shifting black caused Rainbow's limbs to go numb. As the figure continued moving, she remained still. A harsh buzzing at the back of her mind urged her to get as far away as possible. But it was no use.

A moment later, the twin spots of white turned and focused on Rainbow Dash. The excited breathing had calmed slightly, now steady gasps of air. The figure, whatever it was, moved toward Rainbow very slowly, and she could barely make out the shapes of legs. Before long, the figure stepped into the moonlight bleeding through the open doorway, revealing itself entirely to Rainbow. As it took the last couple steps, it kicked forward various colorful feathers that had long since molted.

Rainbow looked at the feathers. They were not her own. She looked back at the dark figure in front of her. It began to speak.

"I...I always knew...you would come home..." it whispered. "After all, you...owe me...a promise, right...?"

Rainbow Dash's mind snapped. She began to sputter. "No, no, nonono, please, no, please not you, oh Steed no, please..."

The dark figure gave a weak smile, its blank eyes narrowing in happiness. "You promised me...and I've been...waiting. I've waited...for you to...come home."

"Please, no, not you, not this, anything but this! This isn't right, this isn't fair! No! NO! NOT YOU! Please, _PLEASE_, not you too!"

"Won't you tell me...?" the figure asked, its voice as deafening as perfect silence. "Tell me why...you're so late...?"

The dark figure lowered itself to rest on its stomach, matching Rainbow's form. It kicked aside a few of the old feathers - dry, useless feathers of orange - and looked into the face of the pegasus.

But Rainbow couldn't answer. She couldn't even understand what the question was. She could only deny the truth before her, and hope that someone would listen, that someone in the empty town would tell her this was a cruel prank, a vengeful joke, a hoax, a lie, a _dream _- anything except what she knew it had to be. Suddenly she had a reason to fight again, but that same reason would hold her down more effectively than any magic bound to her soul.

After all, she was loyal to her friends. And none of them, especially the little one in front of her, deserved what she had gone through.

"_NO! NO, THIS ISN'T RIGHT, THIS ISN'T FAIR! NOT YOU, PLEASE, NOT YOU!"_

The figure simply looked at her and gave a tiny smile. Like a fan meeting her role model.

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><p><span><strong>Chapter eighteen:<strong> Where Land Meets Sky

_[This was the original drafted idea for scene two of Where Lands Meets Sky. In it, Scootaloo is shown as an adult, enjoying a nice summer flight across town. She briefly reflects on a few memories of her hero before meeting the three fillies Kaitlyn Kream, Sun Spot, and Jeweled Radiance. I decided to cut it out because I ended up just reiterating known facts (a habit I've caught myself doing before) instead of progressing the scene. In the words of the Monty Python crew, I needed to "get on with it." So I changed it up in the final draft and went from there instead.]_

The roads of Ponyville stretched out lazily, the surface always ready to unleash a cloud of dust at the slightest breeze. Old shops and new homes lined either side, and what few wooden merchant carts remained in use were stocked with food, drink, and curio. Spring would end soon; the gentle citizens could already sense the approaching summer winds and rains. The bounty had been generous that season, and the hamlet would not know the feel of hunger. Except, of course, for the playful children who would get a little too wild.

Scootaloo was trotting along the road, her mind on one such child. Kaitlyn Kream, whose family had moved down from Canterlot three years before, had once again asked for the orange pegasus' company. It seemed the filly needed help getting some facts right (about what was still a mystery), and Scootaloo had been unable to refuse her. She couldn't help it - she saw some of herself in the girl, even if they had been born differently.

'_It's the curiosity,'_ she reasoned as she turned a corner. _'Kaitlyn has the same knack for trouble I did, except she's got magical puberty to deal with to boot.'_

The thought sparked a number of others. Scootaloo stopped in the middle of the road, suddenly reminiscent of her youthful days. She recalled the afternoon, over fifteen years ago, when she had met her best friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The games they would play - and the trouble they would stir up - were not unlike those of Kaitlyn and her two friends.

"Hey, Scoot! Scootaloo!" somepony called.

The orange pegasus turned her head, and spotted Apple Bloom trotting to meet her. She smiled. "Heya, Bloom! What's going on?"

The two of them exchanged a friendly hug. "Wanted to see if you were available fer a campin' trip this weekend. Y'know, like we used to do as kids."

"I'm game. Where to?"

"Ya remember the way to Windsome Falls?"

Like she could forget. The trip up to the magical falls remained one of Scootaloo's fondest memories. She stretched her wings as the thought made her excited. "Absolutely. I'll be sure to have better stories this time around."

Apple Bloom gave a happy little cheer. "Whoo, alright! That jus' leaves Spike an' Twilight, then we'll have ourselves a walkin' caravan kind of trip!"

"Ah-pfft, are you inviting the whole town or something?"

"Nah, just our close friends. Why, ya got anypony in mind?"

Scootaloo shook her head, eyeing the road she had been walking along. "Maybe later. I've got to get going right now, but I'll find you later, okay?"

With a quick hoof-bump, the yellow farm mare continued on her way. "You got it! If Ah don't hear from ya, then just drop by the farm Friday, an' we'll leave the next mornin'!"

"Deal," she replied. With a quick nod, Scootaloo turned back to the road, took two steps, and jumped into the air.

The ponies milling about below her looked up, some of them still expressing surprise. It had been a difficult time when Scootaloo finally came back to them, especially since she was so young when she left. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had been hurt most of all, but time eventually soothed the pain. As years went on, the three of them were able to firmly rekindle the friendship they all held. At the same time, Scootaloo's interaction with the rest of the town settled to something peaceful.

She had been one of the first to openly defend Rainbow Dash when she came back. Many town members were ready to accept the truth, but not all of them. Those that still thought of her as a criminal were simply ignored.


End file.
